Development of a Differential Temperature Probe for the Measurement of Atmospheric Turbulence at All Levels

摘要

Fluctuating temperature structures in the atmosphere induce phase perturbations in a propagating laser beam. These turbulent conditions occur throughout the atmosphere and cause the laser beam to spread and alter is centroid. There are several methods to measure the parameters of optical turbulence in the atmosphere, but few that will determine them as a function of altitude at all levels. One method of measuring altitude profiles of turbulence is with a temperature probe launched via a balloon system. This thesis involves the development of a differential temperature probe sensor to measure the temperature fluctuations at all altitudes in the atmosphere. In addition, it investigates the effect of solar heating on the probes in the atmosphere and the subsequent effects on the measurements. A validation of the probe system was made by a comparison test with an acoustic echosounder developed earlier. In addition to validating the probe system, the absolute (C sub T)-sq analysis of the echosounder was confirmed. Keywords: Atmospheric optics; Atmospheric turbulence; Temperature structure parameter; Acoustic echosounder; Temperature probe; Theses. (jhd)