On-Sky Tests of a High-Power Pulsed Laser for Sodium Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics
We present results of on-sky tests performed in the summer of 2013 to characterize the performance of a prototype high-power pulsed laser for adaptive optics. The laser operates at a pulse repetition rate (PRR) of 600–800[Formula: see text]Hz, with a 6% duty cycle. Its coupling efficiency was found to be, in the best test case (using 18[Formula: see text]W of transmitted power), [Formula: see text] photons s[Formula: see text] sr[Formula: see text] atom[Formula: see text] W[Formula: see text] m2 when circular polarization was employed and [Formula: see text] photons s[Formula: see text] sr[Formula: see text] atom[Formula: see text] W[Formula: see text] m2 with linear polarization. No impro…
Can turbulence within the field of view cause significant biases in radiative transfer modeling at the 183 GHz band?
The hypothesis whether turbulence within the passive microwave sounders field of view can cause significant biases in radiative transfer modeling at the 183 GHz water vapor absorption band is tested. A novel method to calculate the effects of turbulence in radiative transfer modeling is presented. It is shown that the turbulent nature of water vapor in the atmosphere can be a critical component of radiative transfer modeling in this band. Radiative transfer simulations are performed comparing a uniform field with a turbulent one. These comparisons show frequency dependent biases which can be up to several kelvin in brightness temperature. These biases can match experimentally observe…