Atmospheric measurement system and method
First Claim
1. A method of remotely sensing an atmosphere, comprising:
- a. projecting one of a first beam of first light and a second beam of second light into an atmosphere at a first point in time so as to become scattered by said atmosphere, wherein said first light comprises a first wavelength configured for scattering from at least one of molecules and aerosols of said atmosphere, said second light comprises a second wavelength configured for scattering from said aerosols of said atmosphere, and a distribution of wavelengths of said one of said scattered first light and said scattered second light is responsive to at least one physical property of said atmosphere;
b. receiving one of said scattered first light and said scattered second light scattered from said atmosphere;
c. generating at least one first interference pattern responsive to said one of said scattered first light and said scattered second light based on said distribution of wavelengths of said one of said scattered first light and said scattered second light;
d. detecting said at least one physical property of said atmosphere from said at least one first interference pattern;
e. detecting at least one of a measure of signal-to-noise ratio and a measure of an aerosol-to-molecular ratio from said at least one first interference pattern based on a ratio of an amount of said scattered first light by said aerosols in said atmosphere to an amount of said scattered first light scattered by said molecules in said atmosphere;
f. selecting one of said first beam of first light and said second beam of second light to be projected into said atmosphere at a second point in time after said first point in time, wherein the selecting said one of said first beam of first light and said second beam of second light to be projected at said second point in time is responsive to said at least one of said measure of signal-to-noise ratio and said measure of said aerosol-to-molecular ratio responsive to said first beam of first light; and
g. projecting the selected one of said first and second beams.
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Accused Products
Abstract
One of first and second beams (28) of corresponding first and second light (13) are projected into an atmosphere (20) and at least one physical property of the atmosphere (20) is detected from the interference pattern (47) generated from the resulting scattered light (30). The first and second beams (20) are selected responsive to either a detected signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) or a detected aerosol-to-molecular ratio (AMR). The wavelength (740) of the first light (13) provides for either molecular or aerosol scattering, whereas the wavelength (738) of the second light (13) provides for primarily only aerosol scattering. In accordance with a second aspect, scattered light (30) from one or more beams (28) of substantially monochromatic light (13) projected into the atmosphere (20) and received from a plurality of interaction regions (17) or measurement volumes (52) provides for determining wind power (P*) within a region of the atmosphere (20).
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of remotely sensing an atmosphere, comprising:
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a. projecting one of a first beam of first light and a second beam of second light into an atmosphere at a first point in time so as to become scattered by said atmosphere, wherein said first light comprises a first wavelength configured for scattering from at least one of molecules and aerosols of said atmosphere, said second light comprises a second wavelength configured for scattering from said aerosols of said atmosphere, and a distribution of wavelengths of said one of said scattered first light and said scattered second light is responsive to at least one physical property of said atmosphere; b. receiving one of said scattered first light and said scattered second light scattered from said atmosphere; c. generating at least one first interference pattern responsive to said one of said scattered first light and said scattered second light based on said distribution of wavelengths of said one of said scattered first light and said scattered second light; d. detecting said at least one physical property of said atmosphere from said at least one first interference pattern; e. detecting at least one of a measure of signal-to-noise ratio and a measure of an aerosol-to-molecular ratio from said at least one first interference pattern based on a ratio of an amount of said scattered first light by said aerosols in said atmosphere to an amount of said scattered first light scattered by said molecules in said atmosphere; f. selecting one of said first beam of first light and said second beam of second light to be projected into said atmosphere at a second point in time after said first point in time, wherein the selecting said one of said first beam of first light and said second beam of second light to be projected at said second point in time is responsive to said at least one of said measure of signal-to-noise ratio and said measure of said aerosol-to-molecular ratio responsive to said first beam of first light; and g. projecting the selected one of said first and second beams. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An atmospheric measurement system, comprising:
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a. a first light source, wherein said first light source provides for generating a first beam of first light, and said first light comprises a first wavelength that provides for scattering said first light from at least one of molecules and aerosols of an atmosphere; b. a second light source, wherein said second light source provides for generating a second beam of second light, said second light comprises a second wavelength that provides for scattering said first light substantially only from said aerosols of said atmosphere; c. at least one set of source optics in cooperation with said first and second light sources, wherein said at least one set of source optics provides for projecting at least one of said first beam of first light and said second beam of second light into said atmosphere so as to provide for one of said first light and said second light to become scattered by said atmosphere as a corresponding one of scattered first light and scattered second light, and a distribution of wavelengths of said one of said scattered first light and said scattered second light is responsive to at least one physical property of said atmosphere; d. at least one light receiving system configured to receive either said scattered first light or said scattered second light from said atmosphere and for generating a corresponding at least one first interference pattern in response thereto; e. at least one detection system, wherein said at least one detection system provides for detecting said at least one first interference pattern; f. at least one processor, wherein said at least one processor in cooperation with said at least one detection system provides for detecting said at least one physical property of said atmosphere from said at least one first interference pattern, said at least one processor in cooperation with said at least one detection system provides for detecting at least one of a measure of signal-to-noise ratio and a measure of an aerosol-to-molecular ratio from said at least one first interference pattern, said aerosol-to-molecular ratio is responsive to a ratio of an amount of said scattered first light by said aerosols in said atmosphere to an amount of said scattered first light scattered by said molecules in said atmosphere, said at least one processor provides for selecting one of said first beam of first light and said second beam of second light to be projected into said atmosphere, and the operation of selecting said one of said first beam of first light and said second beam of second light to be projected into said atmosphere is responsive to said at least one of said measure of signal-to-noise ratio and said measure of said aerosol-to-molecular ratio responsive to said first beam of first light. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of remotely sensing an atmosphere, comprising:
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a. projecting one or more beams of substantially monochromatic light into an atmosphere over a first period of time from one or more locations, wherein each beam of said substantially monochromatic light of said one or more beams of said substantially monochromatic light is projected at one or more angles of azimuth and one or more angles of elevation, and said one or more angles of azimuth and said one or more angles of elevation are relative to a corresponding coordinate system centered about a corresponding location of said one or more locations; b. for each said beam of said substantially monochromatic light of said one or more beams of said substantially monochromatic light; receiving scattered light from one or more measurement volumes therein along said beam of substantially monochromatic light, wherein a distribution of wavelengths of said scattered light is responsive to at least one physical property of said atmosphere, and said at least one physical property of said atmosphere comprises at least one of a velocity of said atmosphere and a density of said atmosphere within said one or more measurement volumes therein; generating at least one interference pattern responsive to said scattered light, wherein said at least one interference pattern is responsive to said distribution of wavelengths of said scattered light; detecting said at least one physical property of said atmosphere within said one or more measurement volumes therein from said at least one interference pattern, wherein a total set of measurement volumes therein from which said scattered light is received, said at least one interference pattern is generated, and said at least one physical property is detected over said period of time is responsive to a total number of said one or more beams of substantially monochromatic light, a total number of said one or more angles of azimuth for each said beam, a total number of said one or more angles of elevation for each said beam, and a total number of said one or more measurement volumes therein along each said beam, and said total set of measurement volumes therein is sufficient to provide for determining at least one measure of wind power in said atmosphere at one or more measurement volumes therein; c. selecting one or more of said beams of substantially monochromatic light to be projected into said atmosphere over a second period of time, wherein the selecting of said one or more of said beams of substantially monochromatic light to be projected over said second period of time is responsive to said detecting of at least one physical property of said atmosphere; and d. projecting the selected one or more of said beams of substantially monochromatic light. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification