Abstract

Pseudorandom-modulated (PRM) cw lidars have the potential to replace more costly and complex lidar systems based on pulsed lasers. However, a PRM lidar is limited in sensitivity in some situations because the atmospheric return signal from one altitude acts as noise in retrieving signals from other altitudes.¹ Retrieving small signals in a return with a large dynamic range requires much more signal accumulation than is necessary for the pulsed lidar. Atmospheric-lidar returns typically have adequate dynamic range, especially for zenith-pointed lidars. However, there are many potentially useful applications for PRM lidars, including target ranging and short-range atmospheric measurements.²

© 1995 Optical Society of America