Analysis on wind retrieval methods for Rayleigh Doppler lidar

Abstract

A modification method is described for Rayleigh Doppler lidar wind retrieval. Compared to the double-edge theory of Korb et al. [Appl. Opt. 38, 432 (1999)] and the retrieval algorithm of Chanin et al. [Geophys. Res. Lett. 16, 1273 (1989)] , it has a greater sensitivity. The signal-to-noise ratio of the energy monitor channel is involved in error estimation. When the splitting ratio of the two signal channels is 1.2, which usually happened during wind detection, it will improve the measurement accuracy by about 1% at 30 km altitude for a Doppler shift of 250 MHz (44 m̈Ms). Stabilities of retrieval methods, i.e., errors caused by the spectrum width deviation including laser pulse, Rayleigh backscatter, and filter transmission curve are first discussed. The proposed method increases the resultant precision by about 15% at 30-km altitude assuming an 8-MHz deviation in full width at half maximum of the FabrÿCPerot interferometer. © The Authors.