Fluxes scintillometer
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Commerce
InventorsReginald J. Hill, Gerard R. Ochs
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A laser scintillometer measures the variance of the log intensity of diverged laser light received via a first path. A large aperture scintillometer measures the variance of the log intensity of light from an incoherently illuminated source received via a second path. The ratio of the two measured variances gives the inner scale of turbulence. The refractive-index structure parameter is derived from either measured variance and the inner scale. A processor then derives values of fluxes, such as heat flux and momentum flux, from the refractive-index structure parameter and the inner scale of turbulence using Monin-Obukhov similarity relationships.
Claims19
A flux scintillometer comprising:
- first means for measuring the refractive-index structure parameter of the atmosphere, wherein said first means comprise
- (i) a laser light source,
- (ii) laser light receiving means for receiving light from the laser light source through the atmosphere,
- (iii) means for measuring variance of intensity of the light received from the laser light source,
- (iv) means for correcting the measured variance of intensity of the light received from the laser light source for saturation of scintillation, and
- (iv) means for obtaining the refractive-index structure parameter of the atmosphere from the corrected measured variance of intensity of the light received from the laser light source;
- second means for obtaining a value of the inner scale of turbulence of the atmosphere;
- third means, responsive to the first and second means, for deriving at least one flux value from the refractive-index structure parameter and the inner scale of turbulence.
A flux meter comprising:
- a laser light source;
- means to receive light from the laser light source through the atmosphere and to measure fluctuations in intensity of the light received from the laser light source;
- means to correct the measured fluctuations in intensity of the light received from the laser light source for saturation of scintillation;
- a source of incoherent light;
- means to receive light from the incoherent light source through the atmosphere and to measure fluctuations in intensity of the received incoherent light;
- and
- a process or for obtaining at least one flux value in response to at least one of the corrected measured fluctuations in intensity of the light received from the laser light source and the measured fluctuations in intensity of the received incoherent light.
A method of measuring atmospheric flux comprising the steps of:
- measuring fluctuations in intensity of laser light received via a first path through the atmosphere;
- correcting the measured fluctuations in intensity of the laser light for saturation of scintillation;
- measuring fluctuations in intensity of light received via a second path through the atmosphere;
- and
- deriving a value for at least one flux from the corrected fluctuations in intensity of the laser light and the measured fluctuations form the second path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.