Networkable Diode Laser Based Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) for Temperature Profiling in the Lower Troposphere

天气预报，特别是短期天气预报，严重依赖于对低层大气温度和湿度结构的了解。目前，获得这些测量的主要方法是通过不常用的和稀少的气象气球或高功率激光系统，这些系统不适合长期使用。该项目将建立在一系列奖项的基础上，这些奖项产生了一套低功率、基于激光的仪器，这些仪器可以在无人看管的情况下运行，并在低层大气中回收水蒸气。该合同将在现有技术的基础上进行扩展，使系统能够以低功率在低层大气中获取温度，这是目前尚不存在的能力。如果这项工作被证明是成功的，它将对天气预报产生重大影响，特别是对恶劣天气和降水。该项目还包括下一代遥感科学家的培训部分。该研究小组将开发并演示差分吸收激光雷达（DIAL）技术在低层大气中描绘温度的能力。DIAL技术已经成功地应用于水蒸气，但还需要进一步的工作来证明恢复温度的能力。基于dial的仪器与当前其他温度曲线检索技术相比，其优势在于测量的时间和空间分辨率，以及无人值守、低功耗操作的潜力。这一研究和发展路线的长期目标是生产可联网的、低成本的地面遥感仪器，这些仪器可以填补天气和气候社区所需的对流层低层热力学剖面的观测空白。该项目的主要步骤是：1)选择合适的氧气吸收特性，2)使用现有的基于二极管激光（DLB）的架构构建新系统，3)开发最终检索算法和相关的数据采集软件，4)对仪器进行初始现场测试。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Weather forecasts, especially for short-term events, critically depend on the knowledge of the lower atmosphere temperature and moisture structure. Currently, the main method to obtain those measurement is through infrequent and sparely-situated weather balloons or high-powered laser-based systems that are impractical for long-term use. This project will build upon a series of awards that have resulted in a set of lower-power, laser-based instruments that can run unattended and retrieve water vapor in the lower atmosphere. This award will expand upon current techniques to allow for a system that can also retrieve temperature in the lower atmosphere at low-power, a capability that does not currently exist. If the work proves successful, it could have a significant impact on weather forecasting, especially for severe weather and precipitation. The project also includes a training component for the next generation of remote sensing scientists.The research team will develop and demonstrate the ability of the differential absorption lidar (DIAL) technique to profile temperature in the lower atmosphere. The DIAL technique has been successfully applied to water vapor, but additional work is required to demonstrate the capacity to retrieve temperature. The advantage that a DIAL-based instrument has over other current techniques to retrieve temperature profiles is the time and spatial resolution of the measurements and the potential for unattended, low-power operations. The long-term goal of this line of research and development is to produce networkable, low-cost, ground-based remote sensing instruments that can close the observational gaps in lower tropospheric thermodynamic profiling needed by the weather and climate communities. The main steps in the project will be to: 1) choose the appropriate oxygen absorption feature to work with, 2) build the new system using existing diode-laser-based (DLB) architecture, 3) develop the final retrieval algorithm and associated data acquisition software, 4) perform initial field testing of the instrument.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.