Crosswind speed measurement by optical measurement of scintillation
AssigneeTorrey Pines Logic, Inc.
InventorLeo Volfson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure describes methods and systems for measuring crosswind speed by optical measurement of laser scintillation. One method includes projecting radiation into a medium, receiving, over time, with a photodetector receiver, a plurality of scintillation patterns of scattered radiation, comparing cumulative a radiation intensity for each received scintillation pattern of the received plurality of scintillation patterns, and measuring a cumulative weighted average cross-movement within the medium using the compared cumulative radiation intensities.
Claims20
A device for optically measuring crosswind, comprising:
- a laser transmitter adapted to illuminate a target with a laser through an atmosphere;
- a receiver comprising a single photodiode and adapted to analyze a return path of the laser through the atmosphere, the receiver receiving modulated scattered laser radiation due to temperature gradients in the atmosphere;
- and
- the device adapted to compare intensities of the received modulated scattered laser radiation from the receiver and measures a crosswind profile along a path to the target.
A device for optically measuring a cross-movement profile within a medium to a target, comprising:
- a plurality of receivers spaced apart at a particular distance, each receiver adapted to receive, over time, a plurality of snapshots of a moving scintillation pattern of modulated scattered radiation from a substantially common direction, the movement of the scintillation pattern due to temperature gradients in a medium;
- and
- the device adapted to compare intensities of the received moving scintillation pattern snapshots from each receiver and to measure a cross-movement profile within the medium, the measurement of the cross-movement profile a function of the particular spacing between, and a size of, each of the plurality of receivers.
A method for measuring cross-movement within a medium to a target for medium-profiling purposes, comprising:
- projecting radiation into a medium;
- receiving, over time, with a photodetector receiver, a plurality of scintillation patterns of scattered radiation;
- comparing a cumulative radiation intensity for each received scintillation pattern of the received plurality of scintillation patterns;
- and
- measuring a cumulative weighted average cross-movement within the medium using the compared cumulative radiation intensities.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.