Errico Armandillo

ESA/ESTEC, TOS-MME, EU

Three lidar types are presently under study/development at the European Space Agency for advanced atmospheric research, Meteorology and Climatology: a Doppler wind lidar (DWL), a Differential Absorption lidar (DIAL), and a Backscattering lidar (ATLID). The DWL instrument, Aladin (Atmospheric Lidar Doppler Instrument) will be flown on board of the ADM-Aeolus atmospheric research satellite. ADM-Aeolus will provide globally wind profiles from 0 to 20 Km, with a 0.5 to 2 Km vertical resolution and 1-2 m/sec accuracy. Aladin utilises a tripled-Nd:YAG laser, diode-pumped with direct detection, with a pulse energy of 130 mJ at a repetition rate of 100 Hz.. The DIAL istrument is being developed for the WALES (WAter vapour Lidar Experiment in Space). The Wales lidar will operate on four wavelengths in the region of 940 nm, with energy of 150 mJ on each wavelength and at 25 Hz pulse rate. ATLID backscattering lidar is expected to be flown on the joint ESA-NASDA EarthCare mission devoted to to the study of cloud-aerosol-radiation interactions. ATLID is a diode-pumped doubled and tripled Nd:YAG laser with diode pumping emitting and direct-detection receivers.
The lecture will provide an overview of on going activities with emphasis on component and subsystem qualification, reliability, and lifetime issues for storage, launch and operation of lidar in space.