Multifunction, EO Meteorological Probes with Inherent Cross-Platform Capabilities

The Navy's need for innovative sensors and measurement techniques to obtain Meteorological and Oceanographic (METOC) variables exists in an environment of strongly interdependent operational, tactical, modeling and forecast requirements, particularly as applied to the operationally critical lower atmosphere. Conversations with Naval meteorology professionals reveal that METOC data instruments, acquisition and flow must support minimal critical operational imperatives (i.e. conditions, forecast, validation) as a first priority. However, operational imperatives are in turn dependent on large scale, model/forecast validation from the operational assets with sufficient data to offset the small footprint of the operational asset. At the same time, multi-function capability and cross-platform flexibility (e.g. sea, air, land assets) are strongly desired in instruments for support and expansion of the bi-directional data flow between model, forecast and operational commands. Indeed, the ability to use the same instrument for profiling the atmospheric boundary layer from a surface platform or the immediate regions of the air-sea interface from an air asset greatly expands the significance of any instrument. This proposal describes a compact, low cost electro-optical instrument suite that can address measuring several key meteorological parameters simultaneously.