Three Dimensional Monitoring of Stack Plume Dynamics by a Scanning Mie Lidar System as a Plume Watchdog Station

A scanning lidar system was developed to watch the nighttime diffusion process of plume from a smokestack of a large incinerator located around 3 km from the system. Observed data sets were visualized as three dimensional images in which could be seen the diffusion pattern from any direction, and this made it easy to investigate the exhaust dynamics. Observation results showed that the original plume extended at least 1.6 km, where there was a residential area, from the smokestack increasing in diameter to about 500 m. High density aerosols originating from the smokestack were measured in that area even at midnight. The lidar system performance as a plume watchdog station was discussed from the standpoint of publichealth-related plume monitoring.     

First-time lidar measurement of water vapor flux in a volcanic plume

The CO₂ laser-based lidar ATLAS has been used to study the Stromboli volcano plume. ATLAS measured water vapor concentration in cross-sections of the plume and wind speed at the crater. Water vapor concentration and wind speed were retrieved by differential absorption lidar and correlation technique, respectively. Lidar returns were obtained up to a range of 3 km. The spatial resolution was 15 m and the temporal resolution was 20 s. By combining these measurements, the water vapor flux in the Stromboli volcano plume was found. To our knowledge, it is the first time that lidar retrieves water vapor concentrations in a volcanic plume.     

Effects of rocket engines on laser during lunar landing

In the Chinese moon exploration project “ChangE-3”, the laser telemeter and lidar are important equipments on the lunar landing vehicle. A low-thrust vernier rocket engine works during the soft landing, whose plume may influence on the laser equipments. An experiment has first been accomplished to evaluate the influence of the plume on the propagation characteristics of infrared laser under the vacuum condition. Combination with our theoretical analysis has given an appropriate assessment of the plume?s effects on the infrared laser hence providing a valuable basis for the design of lunar landing systems.     

离子发动机交换电荷离子返流的粒子模拟

 建立了离子发动机羽流的物理模型,采用粒子网格对羽流中的交换电荷离子的分布进行了模拟,电场方程使用完全近似格式的代数多重网格方法求解。利用计算设备统一架构技术开发出一套基于图形处理器的3维并行粒子模拟程序。计算结果表明,交换电荷离子在径向扩张型电势结构下会向束流区外运动,一部分交换离子在电场力作用下会向发动机上游运动,从而形成返流。发动机上游区域的交换电荷数密度与束流等离子体数密度相比降低了3~4个数量级。通过降低电子温度可有效降低返流电流。     

An algorithm to determine cirrus properties from analysis of multiple-scattering influence on lidar signals

A Monte Carlo-based evaluation of the multiple-scattering influence on ground-based Raman lidar measurements is presented. The lidar returns from cirrus clouds are analyzed in order to evaluate vertical profiles of the extinction and backscattering coefficients. Results show that for the typical cirrus cloud, the presence of the multiple scattering can lead to an underestimation of the extinction coefficient by as large as 200% whereas the backscattering coefficient is almost unaffected for the Raman lidar technique. An algorithm to select one or a set of phase functions which fit to the lidar data is also presented. It is an iterative procedure based on Monte Carlo scattering simulation. By comparison of the experimental value of the lidar ratio, corrected for the multiple scattering influence, and the phase function used in the Monte Carlo simulation, one can determine a suitable phase function. The validity and sensitivity of the algorithm have been demonstrated by applying it to simulated cases. The application to some real cases indicates that our procedure allows for the establishing of a practical scattering model for the cirrus clouds.     

Lidar calibration experiments

A series of atmospheric aerosol diffusion experiments combined with lidar detection was conducted to evaluate and calibrate an existing retrieval algorithm for aerosol backscatter lidar systems. The calibration experiments made use of two (almost) identical mini-lidar systems for aerosol cloud detection to test the reproducibility and uncertainty of lidars. Lidar data were obtained from both single-ended and double-ended lidar configurations. A backstop was introduced in one of the experiments and a new method was developed where information obtained from the backstop can be used in the inversion algorithm. Independent in-situ aerosol plume concentrations were obtained from a simultaneous tracer gas experiment with SF, and comparisons with the two lidars were made. The study shows that the reproducibility of the lidars is within 15%, including measurements from both sides of a plume. The correspondence with in-situ measurements is excellent. Finally, the new backstop method is able to reveal information which can close the lidar equation by obtaining the relation between backscatter and extinction in an aerosol cloud. Received: 21 December 1995 / Revised version: 25 July 1996     

Hydraulic simulation of the interaction between stack emissions and nearby buildings

Summary A physical simulation in hydraulic channel has been performed, concerning the behaviour of buoyant and neutral plumes in the presence of a building of schematic shape placed near the stack. The effect of the aerodynamic wake, due to the stack itself and to the building, on the plume geometrical behaviour has been studied. This was done for various stack-building relative positions and letting both the ratios between exit and wind velocity and between stack and building height vary. The aim of the experiment was to confirm or better define the simple criteria normally applied for excluding in practical cases the occurrence of dangerous plume trapping phenomena. The results confirm these criteria and even suggest the possibility of relaxing them slightly. The simulation also allowed an indirect check of the validity of Briggs and Bryant plume rise models, as well as a study of the plume radius trendvs. distance from the source andvs. rise above the emission height. Particularly interesting in this context is the fact that the data put into evidence an enlarged plume spread in the cases of partial trapping with respect to the imperturbed cases and that the linear entrainment relationship between radius and rise is reassessed, with an entrainment parameter β=0.6 as in the atmosphere in the case of buoyant plumes.     

Detection of small forest fires by lidar

The possibility of detecting small forest fires with the help of a simple and cheap lidar operating at 0.532-μm wavelength up to distances of about 6.5 km is demonstrated. The values of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) achieved in the experiments are consistent with theoretical estimations obtained by computational modeling of the lidar detection process, including simulation of the smoke-plume shape and of the laser beam–plume interaction. This model was used to assess the potential of the lidar technique for fire surveillance in large forest areas. In particular, the upper limiting range for effective detection (SNR>5) of small localized fires in dry- and clear-weather conditions is estimated at 7–15 km depending on operation mode, burning rate, and observation geometry. Received: 29 August 2001 / Published online: 29 November 2001     

Optical monitoring of volcanic sulphur dioxide emissions—comparison between four different remote-sensing spectroscopic techniques

The emissions of sulphur dioxide from the Italian volcanoes Mt. Etna and Stromboli were studied in ship-borne underpasses of their plumes. Four different optical spectroscopy techniques were used and inter-compared. All techniques utilise the absorption signature of the gas in the wavelength region of around 300 nm. A differential absorption lidar was employed in active gas concentration assessment. In parallel, a differential optical absorption spectroscopy system (DOAS) provided spectrally resolved absorption spectra. In one configuration the DOAS used a vertically looking telescope and the absorption of the sky-light was studied, while a different DOAS implementation utilised the sun disc as the light source in slant-angle, long-path absorption measurements. Parallel measurements with the customary correlation spectroscopy method were also performed. Path length Monte Carlo simulations of the down-welling radiation through the volcanic plume at different sun altitude and azimuth angles have been performed taking into account also the effects of other geometric parameters as the plume height and extension. The results are discussed with special emphasis on systematic effects due to scattering.     

新型车载式激光雷达探测对流层气溶胶

介绍了中国科学院安光所自行研制的新型车载式激光雷达的结构和主要技术参数,给出了雷达数据的反演方法,并利用它对合肥地区对流层的大气气溶胶进行了探测。测量结果表明,该雷达具备昼夜连续观测对流层大气气溶胶的能力,可以很好地反映气溶胶粒子的时间与空间分布特征。     

Remote sensing of mass fluxes of trace gases in the boundary layer

The combination of remote sensing methods like Doppler lidar and FTIR offers the possibility to determine mass fluxes of gases remotely. Doppler lidar measures the three-dimensional wind vector in the vicinity of diffuse sources or the velocity of air in a chimney plume if an industrial complex is monitored. FTIR is a multi-component remote sensing method for gas concentrations. The Fourier transformation of an interferogram of a Michelson interferometer within a FTIR system converts the recorded intensity (function of optical path length) to a spectral signal (function of wavenumber). Both information, velocity and concentration, give the mass fluxes of the tracer (gas). A first test was performed at Munich-North power station with FTIR and cw-Doppler lidar. Fluxes of CO₂, CO, NO, and HC1 were determined. The results are in good agreement with the fluxes measured by in-situ instruments of the power station. The method can be used to control industrial complexes from an outside observation site.     

The measurement of SO2 in power station plumes with differential lidar

The use of differential lidar for measuring SO₂ in plumes from fossil fuelled power stations is examined. The potential of the technique is investigated for the measurement of SO₂ close to power station stacks and in situations where the long range transport of emissions is important. Detection limits are discussed as a function of range and spatial resolution and it is shown theoretically that concentrations as low as 10 ppb at a range of 2 km should be measurable. Details of a prototype, computer controlled, differential lidar based on a tunable dye laser are given and its mode of operation described. Results from field experiments carried out at Drax power station in Yorkshire (UK) and Fawley Power Station in Hampshire (UK) are presented. For plumes of small diameter a deconvolution technique has been applied to obtain better spatial resolution of the plume structure.     

Quantitative visualization of the laser induced plume behavior using quasi-heterodyne holographic interferometry

It is very important that we understand the dynamic behaviors of the laser induced plume in welding, because the laser induced plume has considerable effects on welding efficiency and the quality of materials. Many experimental studies have been performed in order to observe the plume behaviors using a visualization method. In this paper, we describe the visualization and quantification of the laser induced plumes by pulse holographic interferometry. A pulsed Nd:YAG laser was used for the generation of laser induced plume and a Q-switched Ruby laser was employed to record the weld plume. For qualitative visualization of the laser induced plume, we used the double-exposure holographic interferometry. Then, we chose the quasi-heterodyne holographic interferometry with the dual-reference-beam and phase shifting in order to visualize the plume quantitatively. The experimental results show the visible behavior of the laser induced plume according to a change in the output power of the pulsed Nd:YAG laser and the time delay of Q-switched Ruby laser. Finally, we obtained the quantitative results by using the dual-reference-beam.     

紫外域激光雷达探测西安城区上空大气气溶胶时空剖面

开发了一套紫外域波长的米散射激光雷达系统,探测西安城区上空大气气溶胶污染物质的光学特性及时空变化.系统选用对人眼较为安全的355 nm波长激光作光源,采用高光谱分辨率光栅,并借助光阑,将接收到的主要大气回波信号谱线（米散射和瑞利散射光谱与白天太阳背景光）从空间分离,剔除大部分太阳背景噪音,提高系统的白天探测能力.通过对西安城区上空的气溶胶时空变化特性进行24 h连续观测,采用Klett方法反演得到气溶胶消光系数,首次测得西安城区不同时刻消光系数的高度分布剖面图以及24 h内气溶胶相对质量密度的时空变化特性.     

多普勒测风激光雷达风场探测结果分析

为了验证自行研制的瑞利散射测风激光雷达的性能及应用价值,将激光雷达测量的风速风向廓线与探空气球测量结果进行对比,结果吻合得较好,高度10 km以下风速最大差距3.0 m/s,20 km以下最大差距4.5 m/s;风向除拐点外标准差最大32。连续探测结果显示了强劲的西风急流和风向转换特征,急流中心的高度一般在10~12 km,中心最大风速接近70 m/s,最小风速不低于30 m/s,20 km左右拐点最小风速不足1 m/s,20 km以上风速逐渐增加 ;在20 km以下风向为西风,在270左右变化,20 km以上为东风,在90左右变化。探测结果表明瑞利散射测风激光雷达既能跟踪大尺度季节性气候特征的变化规律,又能突出小尺度瞬态气候特征的形成、演化过程。     

激光雷达系统的数值仿真

为了对成像激光雷达系统进行性能分析,建立了成像激光雷达系统的数值仿真模型.模型以激光雷达原理为基础,考虑了激光雷达距离方程、噪声模型、接收信噪比、成像模型等模块,寻找不同环境与各模型参数的对应关系,以此预测环境对激光雷达系统性能的影响.根据模型,编制计算机仿真软件进行雷达系统模拟,结果表明,数值仿真有助于实验系统的方案设计和性能改进.     

偏振-米散射激光雷达对卷云的探测

 研制了一台偏振-米散射激光雷达,用于卷云和沙尘气溶胶后向散射光退偏振比的探测研究。介绍了偏振-米散射激光雷达的探测原理,叙述了偏振-米散射激光雷达的结构、技术参数、测量方法和数据处理方法。给出了偏振-米散射激光雷达对合肥市西郊上空卷云的结构、退偏振比垂直廓线以及光学厚度的典型探测结果,对这些结果进行了分析和讨论。初步探测结果表明,合肥西郊上空高度在6～10 km的卷云的退偏振比在0.2～0.5之间,该激光雷达可以对卷云进行有效的探测,能较好地反映卷云及其光学特性的时空分布。     

Fourier-wavelet regularized deconvolution (ForWaRD) for lidar systems based on TEA-CO2 laser

Lidar is an efficient tool for remotely measuring physical quantities or detecting targets. To improve the range resolution in long pulse lidars, such as lidar systems based on TEA-CO₂ lasers, deconvolution methods were used by previous investigators. Deconvolution is a noise sensitive process. In order to avoid noise amplification during the deconvolution process, the Fourier-wavelet regularized deconvolution method is used to deconvolve and denoise the back-scattered lidar signal simultaneously. This method is applied to lidar systems based on the TEA-CO₂ laser and the results are compared to nitrogen tail clipping method. Numerical simulation shows, in comparison to the clipping nitrogen tail technique, by using the ForWaRD method; the range resolution and working distance of the lidar is improved and the clipping tail apparatus is also eliminated.     

荧光激光雷达技术探测水面油污染系统仿真研究

为实现对水面油污染的探测, 根据荧光激光雷达系统的发展趋势, 采用激光诱导荧光技术, 建立了适用于水面油污染探测荧光激光雷达的系统模型. 提出采用单激光器结合增强电荷耦合器件的小型荧光激光雷达探测系统, 通过分析激光器单脉冲能量与探测浓度之间的关系, 结合荧光激光雷达系统参数, 对系统模型的探测能力与信噪比等进行了数值仿真. 结果表明, 系统选用单脉冲能量50 μJ的355 nm Nd:YAG激光器作为激发光源, 白天在7 m的距离处探测信噪比可以达到10, 满足实验室搭建模拟系统的要求. 针对实际探测水面油污染, 提出采用增大激光器功率的方法, 并通过模拟计算验证了采用50 mJ的单脉冲能量激光器在230 m的探测距离处可得到与实验室相同的结果, 对实际系统的搭建具有指导意义.     

Application of a CO2 dial system for infrared detection of forest fire and reduction of false alarm

Forest fires can be the cause of serious environmental and economic damages. For this reason considerable effort has been directed toward forest protection and fire fighting. The means traditionally used for early fire detection mainly consist in human observers dispersed over forest regions. A significant improvement in early warning capabilities could be obtained by using automatic detection apparatus. In order to early detect small forest fires and minimize false alarms, the use of a lidar system and dial technique will be considered. A first evaluation of the lowest detectable concentration will be estimated by numerical simulation. The theoretical model will also be used to get the capability of the dial system to control wooded areas. Fixing the burning rate for several fuels, the maximum range of detection will be evaluated. Finally results of simulations will be reported. PACS 42.68.Wt; 89.60.Ec; 92.60.Mt; 92.60.Iq