New atmospheric visibility optical sensor based on correlation coding method

Abstract

In this article a new atmospheric visibility sensor design is presented. It employs an empirical link between acquired lidar backscattered signals and atmospheric visibility parameter. In particular, received backscattered beam is under the autocorrelation analysis within the defined correlation distance, thus the outcome of this procedure presents the overall characteristic of the correlation coefficients, as a function of examined space range. Specifically, significant points of interest of this characteristic are then extracted and processed in order to evaluate the atmospheric visibility parameter. In various experimental demo campaigns, under varying weather conditions, performance of the designed device was assessed. It is reported, the approximate range of reliable atmospheric visibility parameter evaluation falls into the interval of 100 to 1400 m.