Thermal Bloom Predicting Atmospheric Absorption Spectroscopy System

To address the Army’s need for an atmospheric absorption spectroscopy measurement system, Intellisense Systems, Inc. (Intellisense) proposes to advance the development of a new Thermal Bloom Predicting Atmospheric Absorption Spectroscopy (TOPAAS) system, in Phase II, based on high-speed, line-by-line, differential absorption spectroscopic measurements using frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) lidar. In Phase I, Intellisense demonstrated that the innovative use of a novel measurement scheme with mostly mature commercial components enables technology to be used to measure turbulence effect-free, range-resolved, total atmospheric absorption spectral data. In Phase I, Intellisense proved the feasibility of the TOPAAS technology through full system architecture development focusing on the design of a lidar-based absorption measurement system and analysis of thermal blooming prediction method. Based on this design and simulation analysis, Intellisense developed a preliminary design that confirmed the TOPAAS system’s ability to meet the Army requirements in the field test environment and the theoretical process for determining thermal blooming based on measurements from the system. In Phase II, Intellisense will fabricate, test, and evaluate a breadboard TOPAAS system using the Phase I design. After conducting initial testing and system performance evaluation, the system design will be modified as necessary to produce a final full-scale prototype. The final TOPAAS system prototype will be demonstrated in a field test or controlled environmental chamber to validate its thermal blooming prediction accuracy.