Abstract
A narrowband sodium resonance wind-temperature lidar (SRWTL) has been deployed at Poker Flat Research Range, Chatanika, Alaska (PFRR, 65° N, 147° W). Based on the Weber narrowband SRWTL, the PFRR SRWTL transmitter was upgraded with a state-of-the-art solid-state tunable diode laser as the seed laser. The PFRR SRWTL currently makes simultaneous measurements in the zenith and 20° off-zenith towards the north with two transmitted beams and two telescopes. Initial results for both nighttime and daytime measurements are presented. We review the performance of the PFRR SRWTL in terms of seven previous and currently operating SRWTLs. The transmitted power from the pulsed dye amplifier (PDA) is comparable with other SRWTL systems (900 mW). However, while the efficiency of the seeding and frequency shifting is comparable to other SRWTLs the efficiency of the pumping is lower. The uncertainties of temperature and wind measurements induced by photon noise at the peak of the layer with a 5 min, 1 km resolution are estimated to be ~1 K and 2 m/s for nighttime conditions, and 10 K and 6 m/s for daytime conditions. The relative efficiency of the zenith receiver is comparable to other SRWTLs (90–97%), while the efficiency of the north off-zenith receiver needs further optimization. An upgrade of the PFRR SRWTL to a full three-beam system with zenith, northward and eastward measurements is in progress.
Highlights
Sodium resonance wind-temperature lidars (SRWTLs) are uniquely capable of measuring the state of the upper mesosphere-lower thermosphere
The current sodium resonance wind-temperature lidar (SRWTL) architecture was established in the 1990s based on three key elements: a continuous wave (CW) laser precisely locked in frequency using the Doppler-free spectroscopy of the sodium D2 line, a three-frequency shifter using acousto-optic modulation, and a pulsed-dye amplifier using a powerful single-mode neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd):YAG
A sodium resonance wind-temperature lidar system has been deployed at Poker Flat Research Range (PFRR)
Summary
Sodium resonance wind-temperature lidars (SRWTLs) are uniquely capable of measuring the state of the upper mesosphere-lower thermosphere. The current SRWTL architecture was established in the 1990s based on three key elements: a continuous wave (CW) laser precisely locked in frequency using the Doppler-free spectroscopy of the sodium D2 line, a three-frequency shifter using acousto-optic modulation, and a pulsed-dye amplifier using a powerful single-mode Nd:YAG pump laser [6,7,8,9,10] These lidar systems have investigated the role of waves in the circulation including the multiday variability of waves and tides as well as the role of wind-temperature fluxes [11,12]. More general advances in semiconductor amplifier and frequency-doubling technology expanded the operating range of tunable lasers based on external cavity diode lasers to more than 1000 mW power at yellow and orange wavelengths [18] These developments resulted in the commercial development of tunable solid-state laser systems
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