POLARIMETRIC CONSIDERATIONS TO OPTIMIZE LIDAR DETECTION OF IMMERSED TARGETS

The possibility of correctly detecting immersed targets with a lidar t hrough the air-water interface is discussed in this paper. The water s urface roughness, in relation with wind direction, greatly disturbs li ght dispersion. Nevertheless, a detection of immersed targets is alway s possible. This paper reports on an attempt to improve the quality of detection. It was carried out by a polarimetric coding of optical sig nals based upon the Stokes-Mueller polarimetric formalism, and by choo sing a special orientation for the transceiver.