SEDL / STP / STP573-EB / STP39026S

Underwater Probing with Laser Radar

Sizgoric, S
Project scientist and professor of physics, York University, Downsview, Toronto

Carswell, AI
Project scientist and professor of physics, York University, Downsview, Toronto

Pages: 16    Published: Jan 1975

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Abstract

Recent advances in laser and electro-optics technology have greatly enhanced the feasibility of active optical probing techniques aimed at the remote sensing of water parameters. This paper describes a lidar (laser radar) that has been designed and constructed for underwater probing. The influence of the optical properties of water on the general design parameters of a lidar system is considered. Discussion of the specific details in the choice of the constructed lidar is given. This system utilizes a cavity-dumped argon-ion laser transmitter capable of 50-W peak powers, 10 ns pulses, and megahertz pulse repetition rates at 10 different wavelengths in the blue-green (450 to 520 nm) region of the spectrum. The performance of the system, in probing various types of water, is demonstrated by summarizing the results of initial laboratory and field experiments.