Abstract

The modeled performance of an Fe Boltzmann temperature lidar system is compared with existing Na narrow-band temperature techniques. The Fe Boltzmann technique employs mesospheric Fe as a fluorescence tracer and relies on the temperature dependence of the population difference of two closely spaced Fe transitions. The relative performance of the new technique is compared with an existing Na narrow-band temperature technique, and a link analysis is performed with measured data for both Na and Fe. It is shown that for currently available laser technology the two systems yield similar performance but the Fe system allows for the use of more broadband lasers.

© 1998 Optical Society of America

Fe Boltzmann temperature lidar: design, error analysis, and initial results at the North and South Poles

Xinzhao Chu, Weilin Pan, George C. Papen, Chester S. Gardner, and Jerry A. Gelbwachs
Appl. Opt. 41(21) 4400-4410 (2002)

Performance capabilities of middle-atmosphere temperature lidars: comparison of Na, Fe, K, Ca, Ca⁺, and Rayleigh systems

Chester S. Gardner
Appl. Opt. 43(25) 4941-4956 (2004)

Iron Boltzmann factor LIDAR: proposed new remote-sensing technique for mesospheric temperature

Jerry A. Gelbwachs
Appl. Opt. 33(30) 7151-7156 (1994)

Optimizing three-frequency Na, Fe, and He lidars for measurements of wind, temperature, and species density and the vertical fluxes of heat and constituents

Chester S. Gardner and Fabio A. Vargas
Appl. Opt. 53(19) 4100-4116 (2014)

Analysis of a potassium lidar system for upper-atmospheric wind–temperature measurements

George C. Papen, Chester S. Gardner, and W. Matthew Pfenninger
Appl. Opt. 34(30) 6950-6958 (1995)