Multifunction, EO Meteorological Probes with Inherent Cross-Platform Capabilities: a Boundary Layer Profiler (BLiP)

Radar ducting behavior is a rather complex function of several environmental parameters into the atmospheric boundary layer but is dominated by humidity and temperature. Ideally, what is needed is a sensor that assesses real time vertical profiles of humidity, clouds and index/temperature and calculates the current radar ducting and optical visibility conditions for the ship’s local vicinity, feeding in real time to decision makers. While working, it must maintain a low probability-of-detection profile. Navy has traditionally launched radiosondes from ships to derive upper air vertical soundings of winds, temperature and dew point. However, radiosondes pose several logistical and cost challenges as they are essentially narrow band RF homing beacons, making them unsuitable in certain situations. As they are launched manually, they require trained manpower and adequate topside space, which is at a premium on most ship platforms. An automatic system for making routine measurements of key atmospheric parameters of interest to EO propagation models would be highly desirable . An all-optical lidar sensor capable of reliably interrogating these basic atmospheric conditions up to and through the boundary layer is described and has the potential to decrease the reliance on expensive and often unreliable radiosonde upper air soundings.