Mathematical modeling of the input signals of oceanological lidars

摘要

Shipborne and airborne systems for remote laser probing of the ocean (oceanological lidars) are used today both for the bathymetry of near-shore water areas and for reconstructing the characteristics of the marine medium and the bottom from the data of lidar measurements. New applications of lidars have required an increase of the accuracy and reliability of mathematical models of lidar signals. The model proposed in this article for the back-scattering signal of a laser probe pulse from the thickness of sea water is based on the theory developed by Dolin, Levin et al. Unlike earlier results, the lidar equation obtained here takes into account possible deviation of the optical axis from the vertical and is applicable to the case of a lidar receiver with a narrow field of view. (C) 2008 Optical Society of America.