Refractive-index structure parameter in the planetary boundary layer: comparison of measurements taken with a 10.6-mu m coherent lidar, a 0.9-mu m scintillometer, and in situ sensors
P. Drobinski et al., Refractive-index structure parameter in the planetary boundary layer: comparison of measurements taken with a 10.6-mu m coherent lidar, a 0.9-mu m scintillometer, and in situ sensors, APPL OPTICS, 38(9), 1999, pp. 1648-1656
An optical technique is described that determines the path-averaged value o
f a refractive-index structure parameter at 10.6 mu m by use of a pulsed co
herent CO2 Lidar in direct detection and hard-target returns. The Lidar mea
surements are compared with measurements taken by a 0.9-mu m scintillometer
and temperature probe (with humidity corrections). The experimental result
s show good agreement far C-n(2) greater than or equal to 10(-14) m(-2/3).
With respect to practical applications the new technique permits C-n(2) lid
ar measurements in a neutral meteorological situation to an unstably strati
fied convective boundary layer over long ranges (1 km or more). (C) 1999 Op
tical Society of America.