Abstract
Ranged-resolved profiles of atmospheric turbulence are necessary and important for many applications in astronomical and adaptive optics communities. In order to characterize the vertical atmospheric structure in field, a technique is put forward to remote sensing ranged-resolved profiles of atmospheric turbulence by combined with laser guide stars and differential image motion method. Laser guide stars are formed at several successive altitudes by projecting pulsed laser, returned signals of images are received by a optical system with two receiving telescopes, and variance of centroids′ distance is derived from the images with two spots at the same altitude. So, based on a inversion algorithm, atmospheric turbulence profiles are retrieved from differential image motion variance of distance of centroids at various altitudes. The structure constants of refractive index of atmosphere range from 10-14m-2/3 at lower altitudes to 10-16m-2/3 at higher altitudes are remote sensed experimentally. The results show it is a effective method that combined laser guide stars with differential image motion method and could sense atmospheric turbulence profiles remotely in real time.
Highlights
Characteristics of atmospheric turbulence varies temporally and spatially, so remote sensing of atmospheric turbulence profiles in real time is important and necessary for applications such as performance analysis of astronomical adaptive optics systems, astronomical sites surveys and selection, validation of atmospheric turbulence prediction model, free space laser communication, and laser beam propagation in the atmosphere
Combined with laser guide stars and differential image motion method, remote sensing of atmospheric turbulence profiles in real time is realized in experiments effectively
A optical system with two receiving telescopes is developed based on differential image motion method
Summary
Characteristics of atmospheric turbulence varies temporally and spatially, so remote sensing of atmospheric turbulence profiles in real time is important and necessary for applications such as performance analysis of astronomical adaptive optics systems, astronomical sites surveys and selection, validation of atmospheric turbulence prediction model, free space laser communication, and laser beam propagation in the atmosphere. Combined with laser guide stars and differential image motion method, remote sensing of atmospheric turbulence profiles in real time is realized in experiments effectively. The configure of experiment consist of a powerful pulsed laser, a beam-expanding lens and a negative lens for beam-focusing, a reflective mirror for beamprojecting, a optical device for receiving and imaging of returned signals, a ICCD camera for recording images of laser guide stars, and a computer for controlling and data processing. Based on a inversion algorithm, atmospheric turbulence profiles could be retrieve from differential image motion variance of distance of centroids at various altitudes. The results show it is a effective method that combined laser guide stars with differential image motion method and could sense atmospheric turbulence profiles remotely in real time and the profiles data remote sensed are reasonable
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have