MEASUREMENT OF THE VERTICAL PROFILE OF WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION

WE PROPOSE A COVERT ATMOSPHERIC WIND SOUNDING SYSTEM WHICH OPERATES BY PASSIVELY LOOKING AT THE TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL COHERENCE OF SMALL SCALE FLUCTUATIONS OF BACKGROUND INFRARED RADIATION EMITTED BY THE ATMOSPHERE AS A FUNCTION OF WAVELENGTH. IT RADIATES NO ELECTROMAGNETIC ENERGY AND DOES NOT INVOLVE THE USE OF ANY BALLOONS OR TOWERS. BY OPERATING PASSIVELY IN THE INFRARED PORTION OF THE SPECTRUM, IT CAN BE EXPECTED TO BE MUCH SMALLER AND MORE PORTABLE THAN SURFACEBASED MICROWAVE PROFILERS, RADARS, LIDARS, OR SPACED-ANTENNA RADIO METHODS. A PORTABLE, LIGHTWEIGHT, REAL-TIME COVERT SOUNDING SYSTEM FOR USE NEAR THE BATTLEFIELD THUS SEEM ACHIEVABLE. THIS IS THEORETICALLY POSSIBLE BY FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF A CURRENT OPHIR CORPORATION COVERT RADIOMETRIC TEMPERATURE SOUNDING SYSTEM UNDER DEVELOPMENT WITH PRIOR SUPPORT FROM THE U.S. ARMY AND U.S. AIR FORCE.