Lidar Measurement of Wind Velocity Profiles in the Boundary Layer

Abstract

A lidar technique for measuring wind in the atmospheric boundary is presented. Inhomogeneities in ambient aerosol content are used as tracers of the wind. This technique yields both horizontal components of the wind and the wind velocity variance. These results are achieved using a model which assumes an isotropic Gaussian distribution of turbulent velocities. Experimental results comparing lidar wind measurements with winds derived from radar-tracked pilot balloons and tower-mounted anemometers show good agreement. Wind measurements have been obtained at slant range distances up to 6.5 km.