Profiling atmospheric turbulence using a non-cooperative target and a camera bank and validating with sonic anemometers

Benjamin Wilson; Arjent Imeri; Santasri Bose-Pillai; Cruz Garcia; Jack McCrae; Henry Raquet; Kevin Keefer; Steven Fiorino

doi:10.1117/12.2633717

4 October 2022 Profiling atmospheric turbulence using a non-cooperative target and a camera bank and validating with sonic anemometers

Benjamin Wilson, Arjent Imeri, Santasri Bose-Pillai, Cruz Garcia, Jack McCrae, Henry Raquet, Kevin Keefer, Steven Fiorino

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 12239, Unconventional Imaging and Adaptive Optics 2022; 1223905 (2022) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2633717
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2022, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Knowledge of turbulence distribution along a path can be useful for effective compensation in a highly anisoplanatic situation. In an earlier work, a method to profile turbulence using time-lapse imagery of a distant building from two spatially separated cameras was demonstrated. By using multiple cameras instead of just a pair, the profiling resolution as well as the fraction of the path that can be reasonably profiled can be improved. This idea is demonstrated by using 5 spatially separated cameras capturing images of a distant target with features on it. Extended features on the target are tracked and by measuring the variances of the difference in wavefront tilts sensed between cameras due to all pairs of target features, turbulence information along the imaging path can be extracted. The mathematical framework is discussed and the profiling results are compared against point measurements from a 3D sonic anemometer placed onboard an unmanned aerial system which is driven along the imaging path. The method is relatively low cost and does not require sophisticated instrumentation. Turbulence can be sensed remotely from a single site without deployment of sources or sensors at the target location. Additionally, the method is phase-based, and hence has an advantage over irradiance-based techniques which suffer from saturation issues at long ranges. By imaging elevated targets in the future, turbulence changes with altitude can be investigated as well.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Benjamin Wilson, Arjent Imeri, Santasri Bose-Pillai, Cruz Garcia, Jack McCrae, Henry Raquet, Kevin Keefer, and Steven Fiorino "Profiling atmospheric turbulence using a non-cooperative target and a camera bank and validating with sonic anemometers", Proc. SPIE 12239, Unconventional Imaging and Adaptive Optics 2022, 1223905 (4 October 2022); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2633717

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available