Solid state laser technology and atmospheric sensing applications

Future NASA space missions to enable global monitoring of the earth’s atmosphere will include measurements of ozone, water vapor, aerosols and clouds as well as global wind velocity. These important elements and parameters effect climate change, atmospheric chemistry and dynamics, atmospheric transport and, in general, the health of the planet. NASA $Di¯fferential$ A_bsorption L_idar (DIAL) and backscatter lidar techniques are leading candidates for active remote sensing of molecular constituents and atmospheric phenomena from advanced high-altitude aircraft and space platforms. DIAL and lidar systems operating from space have the capability to completely map the earth’s atmosphere for these and other molecules as well as for tracking atmospheric phenomena such as winds and volcanic dust transport. This paper provides an overview of NASA Langley’s development of advanced solid state lasers, harmonic generators, and wave mixing techniques aimed at providing the broad range of wavelengths necessary to meet measurement goals of NASA’s Mission To Planet Earth (MTPE) Enterprise and potentially for applications in the Space Science Enterprise.