Optical precipitation gauge which detects scintillations produce

Details Optical precipitation gauge which detects scintillations produce Optical precipitation gauge which detects scintillations produce

1987-05-11

1988-06-28

Nelms, David C.

Radiant energy

Photocells; circuits and apparatus

Optical or pre-photocell system

356442, G01N 1506

Patent

active

047541490

ABSTRACT:
A precipitation gauge is provided for remotely detecting precipitation and for measuring the rate of precipitation in an open environment, such as an aircraft landing field. The system employs an optical transmitter and receiver, wherein particles of precipitation passing through a light beam from the transmitter cause scintillations at the receiver. The spatial separation between the light transmitter and receiver is quite small, typically substantially less than one meter. The small separation between the transmitter and the receiver is made possible by the use of a partially coherent light beam, in place of a conventional laser beam. The transmitter and receiver are spaced apart a distance of approximately 0.6 meters. The product of one half of the angle of incoherency multiplied by the spatial separation between the transmitter and receiver is preferably about 1.5 millimeters. An output from automatic gain control circuitry is processed by signal processing circuitry and appears as a direct current voltage level which could be either proportional to the rate of precipitation or to the logrithmic rate of precipitation. The precipitation gauge is quite accurate, ranging from extremely light to extremely heavy precipitation rates.

REFERENCES:
patent: 3946286 (1976-03-01), Kinnunen et al.
patent: 4030828 (1977-06-01), Sonobe et al.
Wang et al., "Measurement of Rain Parameters by Optical Scintillation" Applied Optics, vol. 16, pp. 2236-2241, 8/77.
Wang et al., "Simplified Optical Path-Averaged Rain Gauge", Applied Optics, vol. 17, pp. 384-390 2/1/78.
Wang et al., "A Fast-Response Optical Sensor for Measuring Rainfall Rate & Raindrop Size Distribution" C-9-4 pp. 493-495.
Wang et al., "Optical Rain Gauge Using a Divergent Beam", Applied Optics, vol. 19, pp. 3617-3621, 11/1/80.
Wang et al., "Near-Field Laser Disdrometer for Raindrops", Applied Optics, vol. 21, pp. 11-12, 1/1/82.
Wang et al., "Laser Rain Gauge, Near-Field Effect", Applied Optics, vol. 22, pp. 4008-4012, 12/15/83.
"Rainfall Rate Measured Automatically by Processing Scintillation Signals", Laser Focus, 11/77.
Wang et al. "Use of Rainfall Induced Optical Scintillations to Measure Path-Averaged Rain Parameters", J. Optical Soc. of Am vol. 65, No. 8/8/75.
Wang et al. "Measurement of Rain Parameters by Optical Scintillation Comp. Simulation of the Correlation Method," Applied Optics, vol. 16, p. 3176, 12/77.
Wang et al. "Path-Averaged Measurements of Rain Rate and Raindrop Size Dist. Using a Fast-Resp. Optical Sensor", J. of Applied Meteorology, vol. 18, No. 5, 5/79.
Wang et al. "A Laser Rain Gauge" Laser Focus 4/81.

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