A new approach to profiling atmospheric turbulence using a dynamically ranged Raleigh beacon system

Benjamin Wilson; Santasri Bose-Pillai; Steven Zuraski; Jack McCrae; Steven Fiorino

doi:10.1117/12.2678076

3 October 2023 A new approach to profiling atmospheric turbulence using a dynamically ranged Raleigh beacon system

Benjamin Wilson, Santasri Bose-Pillai, Steven Zuraski, Jack McCrae, Steven Fiorino

Proceedings Volume 12693, Unconventional Imaging, Sensing, and Adaptive Optics 2023; 126930P (2023) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2678076
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2023, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

The Turbulence and Aerosol Research Dynamic Interrogation System (TARDIS) is an optical sensing system that is based on dynamically changing the range between the collecting sensor and Rayleigh beacon during a static period of relatively unchanging turbulence-induced wavefront perturbations. In the past, obtaining measurement-based estimates of the turbulence strength profile from TARDIS was based around collating segmented refractive index structure parameter, C_n² values traced to specific layers of the atmosphere. These values were developed from Fried parameter segments, which were deduced from differential tilt variance measurements from neighboring subapertures on the Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor. In this work, we will exploit the crossings between the sensing paths from the different beacon locations (during a static period) to the wavefront sensor subapertures to derive turbulence profiles along the path. The differential tilt variance between a pair of subapertures due to a pair of beacons at two different ranges in a crossed sensing path configuration has a unique turbulence weighting function associated with it which depends on the geometry of the beacons and the subapertures. By using these unique path weighting functions along with the corresponding measured differential tilt variances for all configurations where the sensing paths cross, C_n² profiles along the path can be constructed. The derivation of the weighting functions will be discussed and derived profiles will be compared to measurements from other profiling instruments such as MZA’s DELTA-Sky and to numerical weather prediction models.

Conference Presentation

(2023) Published by SPIE. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Citation Download Citation

Benjamin Wilson, Santasri Bose-Pillai, Steven Zuraski, Jack McCrae, and Steven Fiorino "A new approach to profiling atmospheric turbulence using a dynamically ranged Raleigh beacon system", Proc. SPIE 12693, Unconventional Imaging, Sensing, and Adaptive Optics 2023, 126930P (3 October 2023); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2678076

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