IGF::OT::IGF THE ADVANCED COHERENT DETECTION WIND SPACE PATHFINDER (WIND SP) LIDAR DIRECTLY ADVANCES THE OV…

Public award description

IGF::OT::IGF THE ADVANCED COHERENT DETECTION WIND SPACE PATHFINDER (WIND SP) LIDAR DIRECTLY ADVANCES THE OVERALL TECHNOLOGY MATURATION AND READINESS OF COHERENT DETECTION WIND MEASUREMENTS TOWARDS THE 3D GLOBAL WIND SPACE MISSION. IT REPRESENTS A MAJOR NEXT STEP THAT WILL RESULT IN A NEW INSTRUMENT THAT MATCHES FORM, FIT, AND FUNCTION OF THE LIDAR SUBSYSTEM WITH A SPACE-READY INSTRUMENT WHILE RETAINING APPROPRIATE ALIGNMENT ACCESSIBILITY. THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF THE WIND SPACE PATHFINDER ACTIVITY IS TO DESIGN, DEVELOP, AND DEMONSTRATE A NEXT GENERATION COHERENT DETECTION WIND LIDAR THAT REPRESENTS A MAJOR STEP TOWARDS THE ULTIMATE WIND SPACE MISSION. SIMPSON WEATHER ASSOCIATES OF CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA IS A SMALL BUSINESS OF 8-10 EMPLOYEES AND NUMEROUS CONSULTANTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR. SINCE 2002, SWA HAS BEEN FLYING AIRBORNE DOPPLER WIND LIDARS OVER COASTAL REGIONS, IN COMPLEX MOUNTAIN-VALLEY TERRAIN, AND AROUND SEVERE STORMS. SWA HAS DEVELOPED NUMEROUS DATA PROCESSING ALGORITHMS DEALING WITH ISSUES SUCH AS GROUND EFFECTS, AIRCRAFT EFFECTS, AND POINTING THAT HAVE ENABLED THE OPTIMUM RETRIEVAL OF USEFUL PROFILE DATA FROM A RAW LIDAR SIGNAL.