Optics to advance atmospheric research

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Dec 3, 2004

Optical Surfaces has been selected to supply key optics for a new Lidar system that will be implemented on the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements Large Atmospheric Research aircraft.

Optical Surfaces has been selected to supply key optics for a new Lidar system that will be implemented on the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM) Large Atmospheric Research aircraft.

FAAM is the result of collaboration between the UK's Metrological Office and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) set up to provide an aircraft measurement platform for use by all the UK atmospheric research community.

Fitted with a range of sophisticated and sensitive instrumentation the FAAM aircraft is able to perform a wide range of applications including tropospheric chemistry measurements, cloud physics and dynamic studies, radiative transfer studies and boundary layer and turbulence studies.

The new downward facing Lidar instrument is intended to allow measurement of vertical profiles of ozone, water vapour and particulates above and below the aircraft.

Based on a Dall-Kirkham Cassegrain telescope design, Optical Surfaces has been contracted to produce the principal light collecting optics for the return beam of the LIDAR system.

The compact f-2 optics will be of 410mm diameter and have cone-shaped backs to reduce weight.

Optical Surfaces was selected as the supplier for the Lidar optics due to its technical excellence and experience in producing high tolerance, lightweight cassegranian optics for a growing number of leading international remote sensing and environmental monitoring projects.