Comparison of imaging laser radars based on range gating under different weather conditions

Arno von der Fecht; Hendrik Rothe

doi:10.1117/12.327202

8 September 1998 Comparison of imaging laser radars based on range gating under different weather conditions

Arno von der Fecht, Hendrik Rothe

Proceedings Volume 3380, Laser Radar Technology and Applications III; (1998) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.327202
Event: Aerospace/Defense Sensing and Controls, 1998, Orlando, FL, United States

Abstract

This paper discusses the development and the experimental results of two imaging laser radar systems based on range gating. We designed an 128 X 128 pixel laser radar working at the eye-safe wavelength of 1574 nm without a scanner. The laser is a Q-switched, flashlamp pumped, Nd:YAG laser with Optical Parametric Oscillator. It achieves 60 mJ output energy at the video range of 25 Hz. As detector we use a high sensitive (68% quantum efficiency) InGaAs camera with a special designed Electro-Optical Modulator objective providing 18 ns gating time. The first laser illuminated images will be presented. The second system is working at the wavelength of 532 nm and uses a gated viewing camera including a Multi Channel Plate II generation with a maximum gain of 18000. We examined the system performance under different weather conditions especially at a range between 500 m and 1500 m. For both systems the field of view is fixed at 12 mrad, that means we illuminate a 12 X 12 m field at 1 km range. The outdoor experiments were taken over a period of 2 weeks, where we had on the one hand sun and on the other hand light and moderate rain with a rainrate up to 10 mm/h and a visibility of 490 m.

Citation Download Citation

Arno von der Fecht and Hendrik Rothe "Comparison of imaging laser radars based on range gating under different weather conditions", Proc. SPIE 3380, Laser Radar Technology and Applications III, (8 September 1998); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.327202

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