Low-Cost Automated Aerosol Lidar for Air Quality Assessment and Prediction

Oceanit showed the feasibility of a low-cost, compact, lightweight, eye-safe LIDAR suitable for aerosol gradient detection in a Phase 1 effort. The system is based on an eye-safe laser being developed at Oceanit as part of a 3D scanning ceilometer. The laser can operate at greater power than other systems using non-eye-safe wavelengths, thus it eliminates many of the problems associated with low power aerosol LIDAR systems. The system will be able to detect very low backscatter from aerosols in the planetary boundary layer, and will be useful in determining the mixed layer depth. Phase 2 efforts will consist of prototype construction, system testing, and field-testing.