title: Two-photon lidar technique for remote sensing of atomic oxygen.
abstract: A technique is proposed for remote sensing of atomic oxygen by laser excitation of a two-photon transition. Excitation at 2256 A and subsequent fluorescence at 8447 A allow probing of the mesosphere and lower thermosphere without interference by absorption. The two-photon excitation rate is calculated, and its dependence on laser power, duration, and linewidth is discussed. Values are given for remote sensing from a spacecraft at 200 km ranging down to 80 km with 1-km range resolution. Accuracies of better than 10% are expected with a 1 J, a 20-psec excitation pulse, and a 1-m(2) collecting telescope.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: McLlrath
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hudson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aikin
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Wilkerson