Near-IR Differential Absorption Lidar for Automated Water Vapor Profiling

Measurement of vertical profiles of H2O vapor density in the troposphere can provide new understanding of H2O vapor mass transport.  Increased density o9f such measurements can improve predictive capability for precipitation in meteorology and can increase our understanding of feedback mechanisms involving the interaction of H2O vapor, radiative balance and precipitation that are important in global climate change modeling.  While techniques exist to measure these vertical profiles, there is still a need for a compact, economical, and automated sensor that can make these measurements around the clock.  Physical Sciences, Inc. proposes to develop and demonstrate a compact lidar for these measurements using newly available tunable diode laser seeded fiber amplifiers operating in the near-infrared (1-2 µm).