Low-Swap Elastic Backscatter Lidar for Close-Range Aerosol Detection

A small form-factor atmospheric lidar demonstrator was developed for high resolution measurements of aerosols. The system is a conventional elastic backscatter lidar with a pulsed laser transmitter operating at a wavelength 1.54 µm coupled with a 2-inch diameter receiver. The intended purpose of the lidar system is to detect various aerosols in the atmosphere at high spatio-temporal resolution and close observational range. The intentionally low Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) of the system design enables use on a variety of fixed and airborne platforms (i.e. unmanned aerial systems). The relative low cost to build and operate the system facilitates proliferation of networks of such systems for increased monitoring coverage. First results from the system that show aerosol transport over a localized urban area will be presented. Future enhancements, such as a depolarization capability, will also be discussed.