Ophir Corporation

Martin Joseph O'Brien

Loren M Caldwell

Loren Dean Nelson

Carl Scott Weimer

Phillip E Acott

Shoou-Yu Tang

Shoou-yu Tang

Lisa G Spaeth

David C MacPherson

Paula R Wamsley

Stuart Paul Beaton

An optical air data system for an air vehicle includes a LIDAR module and a data processing module. The LIDAR module is configured to emit at least three laser beams, not all located in a common plane, and perform LIDAR measurements of a backscattered component of each of the laser beams. The data processing module includes a processor and machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, processes the LIDAR measurements to determine at least one optically-based air data parameter. The overlap between the laser beams and one or more fields of view of the LIDAR module may be within two meters from the LIDAR module to determine the at least one optically-based air data parameter at short range from the air vehicle.

Optical air data systems and methods

A method for predicting arrival of a wind event at an aeromechanical structure includes sensing wind velocity in an atmospheric volume moving towards the aeromechanical structure to obtain a time series of spatially distributed wind velocity measurements, determining presence of the wind event from at least one of the distributed wind velocity measurements, and tracking the wind event based upon the time series of spatially distributed wind velocity measurements to estimate arrival time of the wind event at the aeromechanical structure. A wind-predicting system uses a lidar and a wind-predicting unit to implement this method. An aeromechanical apparatus integrates this wind-predicting system to predict wind events at the aeromechanical apparatus.

Systems and methods for predicting arrival of wind event at aeromechanical apparatus

Systems and methods for sensing air includes at least one, and in some embodiments three, transceivers for projecting the laser energy as laser radiation to the air. The transceivers are scanned or aligned along several different axes. Each transceiver receives laser energy as it is backscattered from the air. A computer processes signals from the transceivers to distinguish molecular scattered laser radiation from aerosol scattered laser radiation and determines air temperatures, wind speeds, and wind directions based on the scattered laser radiation. Applications of the system to wind power site evaluation, wind turbine control, traffic safety, general meteorological monitoring and airport safety are presented.

A method for remotely sensing air outside a moving aircraft includes generating laser radiation within a swept frequency range. A portion of the laser radiation is projected from the aircraft into the air to induce scattered laser radiation. Filtered scattered laser radiation, filtered laser radiation, and unfiltered laser radiation are detected. At least one actual ratio is determined from data corresponding to the filtered scattered laser radiation and the unfiltered laser radiation. One or more air parameters are determined by correlating the actual ratio to at least one reference ratio.

Systems and methods for sensing air outside a moving aircraft are presented. In one embodiment, a system includes a laser for generating laser energy. The system also includes one or more transceivers for projecting the laser energy as laser radiation to the air. Subsequently, each transceiver receives laser energy as it is backscattered from the air. A computer processes signals from the transceivers to distinguish molecular scattered laser radiation from aerosol scattered laser radiation and determines one or more air parameters based on the scattered laser radiation. Such air parameters may include air speed, air pressure, air temperature and aircraft orientation angle, such as yaw, angle of attack and sideslip.

A method optimizes gas correlation radiometer response to trace amounts of target gas in the free atmosphere in competition with interfering gas. Operations identify spectral regions of a first absorption spectrum of the target gas, and of a second absorption spectrum of the interfering gas. A set of similarity data is determined as a function of overlap regions within the spectral region, and a set of contrast data is determined as a function of non-overlap regions within the spectral region, including a plurality of data items within each of a plurality of bandwidths, and a data item corresponding to a center wavelength within each bandwidth. Graphs correspond to each bandwidth. From one graph a center wavelength of an infrared filter is selected, and from another graph there is selected a bandwidth of the infrared filter, to configure an infrared filter for use with the gas correlation radiometer.

Method of optimizing a response of a gas correlation radiometer to a trace amount of a target gas

A source directs broadband modulated light into a region the free atmosphere in which target gas may be present. A gas correlation radiometer responds to light transmitted through the region. Separate radiometer channels respond to a single beam of light after transmission through the region. A beam splitter separates the beam into two beams, one directed into each of the channels. The two channels separately and simultaneously respond to a respective one of the light beams for separately and simultaneously generating signals that together indicate whether the target gas is in the free atmosphere. A method provides an optimal bandpass of an IR filter that filters the light before transmission to the radiometers. Another method uses a null factor in computing an output that determines the concentration of the target gas in the free atmosphere. Long distance detection embodiments may be borne by vehicles such as trucks or aircraft.

Methods of and apparatus for detecting low concentrations of target gases in the free atmosphere

An oil and gas exploration system and method for land and airborne operations, the system and method used for locating subsurface hydrocarbon deposits based upon a remote detection of trace amounts of gases in the atmosphere. The detection of one or more target gases in the atmosphere is used to indicate a possible subsurface oil and gas deposit. By mapping a plurality of gas targets over a selected survey area, the survey area can be analyzed for measurable concentration anomalies. The anomalies are interpreted along with other exploration data to evaluate the value of an underground deposit. The system includes a differential absorption lidar (DIAL) system with a spectroscopic grade laser light and a light detector. The laser light is continuously tunable in a mid-infrared range, 2 to 5 micrometers, for choosing appropriate wavelengths to measure different gases and avoid absorption bands of interference gases. The laser light has sufficient optical energy to measure atmospheric concentrations of a gas over a path as long as a mile and greater. The detection of the gas is based on optical absorption measurements at specific wavelengths in the open atmosphere. Light that is detected using the light detector contains an absorption signature acquired as the light travels through the atmosphere from the laser source and back to the light detector. The absorption signature of each gas is processed and then analyzed to determine if a potential anomaly exists.

Oil and gas exploration system and method for detecting trace amounts of hydrocarbon gases in the atmosphere

An advance in a passive, remote sensing device for measurement of atmospheric temperature utilizes an actuated modulator for periodically alternating the radiation detected by a detector at a selected infrared wavelength between the infrared radiation from the atmosphere and that from the infrared reference radiation emitted from a reference material such that the detector compares the radiation emitted from the atmosphere to that emitted by the reference material at the selected infrared wavelength in order to determine the atmosphere temperature. Preferably, the modulator is a MEMS based modulator having a movable grating formed by MEMS based fabrication techniques.

Method and apparatus for measuring atmospheric temperature

Apparatus performs a method of generating one or more output laser pulses in a range of 2 to 6 microns. When a plurality of the output laser pulses are generated, a first output pulse has any selected wavelength within the range and a second output pulse is temporally closely spaced relative to the first output pulse and has a chosen wavelength differing from the selected wavelength. An oscillator laser cavity is provided with a tunable oscillator rod capable of generating initial laser pulses within a range of from 750 to 1000 nm, and a tuning element is coupled to the rod. A flashlamp is operable to pump the rod. For two pulse operation, the flashlamp has a given duration. A Q-switch provides the initial laser pulses upon operation of the tuning element and the flashlamp. A Raman device coupled to the rod shifts the wavelength of such initial laser pulse into the range of from 2 to 6 microns to form the output laser pulse having a wavelength within the range. For multiple pulses, a controller causes the Q-switch to provide first and second ones of the initial laser pulses, spaced by a time interval less than the given duration. Also, a selector coupled to the tuning element is operable within such duration to successively select the wavelength of the first output pulse and the chosen wavelength of the second initial pulse. The Raman device is responsive to each of the initial light pulses to generate radiation at first and second Stokes wavelengths, each of said the output laser pulses being radiation at the second Stokes wavelength.

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Pine, CO, United States of America

Martin Joseph O'Brien