title: Raman and Rayleigh holographic lidar.
abstract: We have designed a novel rotational Raman and Rayleigh lidar system that incorporates a simple holographic optical element. The hologram simultaneously disperses and focuses the backscattered signal light so that narrow spectral features can be isolated and detected with high efficiency. By measuring the relative strength of several nitrogen rotational Raman lines, we can obtain an accurate temperature of the atmosphere at a given altitude without the need for external calibration. Simultaneous photon counting of the Rayleigh backscatter signal permits temperature measurements at much higher altitudes.
authors.affiliation: Laser and Optics Research Center, Department of Physics, U.S. Air Force Academy, Suite 2A31, 2354 Fairchild Drive, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80840, USA. geoff.andersen@usafa.af.mil
authors.forename: Geoff
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: Jason K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Brasseur
authors.forename: Randall J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Knize
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Haris