Development of a High Spectral Resolution Lidar using a Multi-mode Laser and a Tunable Interferometer

Abstract

A High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) using an unseeded laser is designed to separate Mie from total atmospheric backscatter by means of a tunable interferometer. The separation is achieved by tuning the interferometer’ s free spectral range (FSR) to longitudinal mode separation of the laser. When this condition is achieved, the interferometer transmits aerosol and molecular backscatter with different efficiencies due to their spectral properties. We estimate those transmissions for the perfect tuning case and introducing accuracy or precision errors on the interferometer alignment.