Method for detecting the presence of ice crystals in an environment

Method for detecting the presence of ice crystals in an environment, implemented by a detection device in relative motion with respect to said environment, said method comprising at least:

• an emission step, in which at least one optical radiation is emitted by the detection device into the environment;
• a reception step, in which at least a portion of the emitted optical radiation is received by the detection device, said at least a portion of the received radiation including rays within a first wavelength band (λ1) and rays within a second wavelength band (λ2);
• characterized in that the detection method further comprises at least:
• a calculation step, in which the detection device calculates a comparison signal (Comp(t)) representative of the contrast, said contrast being obtained from the following formula:
• Comp
• 
• (
• t
• )
• =
• R
• λ
• 
• 
• 2
• 
• (
• t
• )
• -
• R
• λ
• 
• 
• 1
• 
• (
• t
• )
• R
• λ
• 
• 
• 2
• 
• (
• t
• )
• +
• R
• λ
• 
• 
• 1
• 
• (
• t
• )
• where Rλ1(t) is the intensity over time t of the rays within the first wavelength band (λ1) and Rλ2(t) is the intensity over time of the rays within the second wavelength band (λ2), and
• a noise calculation step, in which a noise (B) of the comparison signal (Comp(t)) is calculated,
• a thresholding step, in which the noise (B) is compared to a defined threshold (S),
• a communication step, in which a signal indicating detection of the presence of ice crystals in the environment is transmitted when the noise (B) is greater than the defined threshold (S).