Single frequency operation of an injection-seeded Nd:YAG laser in high noise and vibration environments

Frequency and timing stability of an airborne injection-seeded Nd:YAG laser system for direct-detection wind lidar

We report on the design and performance of the laser deployed in the airborne demonstrator Doppler wind lidar for the Aeolus mission of the European Space Agency (ESA). The all-solid-state, diode-pumped and frequency-tripled Nd:YAG laser is realized as a master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) system, generating 60 mJ of single-frequency pulses at 355 nm wavelength, 50 Hz repetition rate and 20 ns pulse duration. For the measurement of the Doppler frequency shift over several accumulated laser shots, the frequency stability of the laser is of crucial importance. Injection-seeding, in combination with an active cavity control based on the Ramp-Delay-Fire technique, provides a pulse-to-pulse frequency stability of 0.25 MHz measured at 1064 nm under laboratory conditions. This value increases to 0.31 MHz for airborne operation in a vibration environment that has been characterized by multiple acceleration sensors during different flight conditions. In addition, a pure Ramp-Fire setting was tested for comparison leading to a frequency stability of 0.16 MHz both in airborne operation and on ground. The laser cavity control electronics also have to provide a trigger signal for the lidar detection electronics, about 60 μs prior to the expected laser pulse emission and with high timing stability. An in-flight timing stability of below 100 ns was measured decreasing to 20 ns for a shorter pre-trigger time of 10 μs.

Demonstration of an iron fluorescence lidar operating at 372 nm wavelength using a newly-developed Nd:YAG laser

We report on the development of a pulsed neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser operating at a 1116 nm wavelength. Because the third harmonic is within a few gigahertz of the 372 nm absorption line of iron, this laser system represents an alternative to alexandrite lasers commonly used in iron fluorescence lidars. With our prototype, we achieved a 0.5 W at 372 nm wavelength and a 100 Hz pulse repetition frequency. As a proof of concept, we show iron density measurements, which have been acquired using the novel lidar transmitter.

Horizontal lidar measurements for the proof of spontaneous Rayleigh-Brillouin scattering in the atmosphere

Several atmospheric lidar techniques rely on the exact knowledge of the spectral line shape of molecular scattered light in air, which, however, has not been accurately measured in real atmosphere up to now. In this paper we report on the investigation of spontaneous Rayleigh-Brillouin scattering within the atmosphere, utilizing horizontal lidar measurements (λ=355 nm, θ=180°) performed from the mountain observatory Schneefernerhaus (2650 m), located below Germany's highest mountain, the Zugspitze. These lidar measurements give proof of the effect of Brillouin scattering within the atmosphere for the first time to our knowledge. The measurements confirm that the Tenti S6 model can be used to adequately describe spontaneous Rayleigh-Brillouin spectra of light scattered in air under real atmospheric conditions. The presented results are of relevance for spectrally resolving lidars like those deployed on the Atmospheric Dynamics Mission Aeolus (ADM-Aeolus) andthe Earth Clouds, Aerosols, and Radiation Explorer Mission (EarthCARE).

Airborne high spectral resolution lidar for profiling aerosol optical properties

A compact, highly robust airborne High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) that provides measurements of aerosol backscatter and extinction coefficients and aerosol depolarization at two wavelengths has been developed, tested, and deployed on nine field experiments (over 650 flight hours). A unique and advantageous design element of the HSRL system is the ability to radiometrically calibrate the instrument internally, eliminating any reliance on vicarious calibration from atmospheric targets for which aerosol loading must be estimated. This paper discusses the design of the airborne HSRL, the internal calibration and accuracy of the instrument, data products produced, and observations and calibration data from the first two field missions: the Joint Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment--Phase B (INTEX-B)/Megacity Aerosol Experiment--Mexico City (MAX-Mex)/Megacities Impacts on Regional and Global Environment (MILAGRO) field mission (hereafter MILAGRO) and the Gulf of Mexico Atmospheric Composition and Climate Study/Texas Air Quality Study II (hereafter GoMACCS/TexAQS II).

Generation of Fourier-transform-limited 35-ns pulses with a ramp-hold-fire seeding technique in a Ti:sapphire laser

We report on an injection-seeded Ti:sapphire laser pumped by the second harmonic of a Nd:YAG laser. The resonance between the low-power seed laser and the slave cavity is achieved by a ramp-hold-fire technique. Because of the triangular cavity design, the spatial beam profile is excellent; and combined with the narrow-linewidth pulses, the conversion efficiencies for nonlinear frequency generation are excellent.

Dual-wavelength diode-seeded Ti:sapphire laser for differential absorption lidar applications

A dual-wavelength, diode-seeded, flash-lamp-pumped Ti:sapphire laser system has been developed. Injection seeding allowed the attainment of high output energies (130 mJ), narrow linewidth (250 MHz), and high reliability. Furthermore, an original method is presented for dual-wavelength operation, using diode current sweeping. These specifications are ideal for differential absorption lidar applications, and the example of NO(2) detection is presented. Extension to other pollutants is discussed.

Accuracy limitations on Brillouin lidar measurements of temperature and sound speed in the ocean

There are five mutually dependent variables relevant to Brillouin lidar measurements of temperature and sound speed in the ocean; they are (1) the Brillouin shift, (2) the sound speed, (3) the index of refraction, (4) the temperature, and (5) the salinity. We use three well-known relations to analyze rigorously the interdependence of these five variables. Clearly, a Brillouin shift measurement does not provide a stand-alone determination of temperature or sound speed; one more variable or one more relation must be known. The use of mean values of salinity that have been obtained by an analysis of a large set of historical in situ data is considered for this additional relation.