Calibration experiments based on a CO absorption cell for the 1.57-µm spaceborne IPDA LIDAR.

The spaceborne IPDA LIDAR has the potential to measure the global atmosphere CO column concentrations with high accuracy. For this kind of LIDAR, system calibration experiments in the laboratory are of high importance. In this study, a specially-customized CO absorption cell is employed to simulate the CO column absorption of the spaceborne platform.

In-orbit operation of an atomic clock based on laser-cooled Rb atoms.

Atomic clocks based on laser-cooled atoms are widely used as primary frequency standards. Deploying such cold atom clocks (CACs) in space is foreseen to have many applications. Here we present tests of a CAC operating in space.

Double-pulse 1.57 μm integrated path differential absorption lidar ground validation for atmospheric carbon dioxide measurement.

A ground-based double-pulse integrated path differential absorption (IPDA) instrument for carbon dioxide (CO) concentration measurements at 1572 nm has been developed. A ground experiment was implemented under different conditions with a known wall located about 1.17 km away acting as the scattering hard target.

Fiber laser-based scanning lidar for space rendezvous and docking.

Lidar systems have played an important role in space rendezvous and docking (RVD). A new type of scanning lidar is developed using a high-repetition-rate pulsed fiber laser and a position detector. It will be a candidate for autonomous space RVD between two spacecrafts.

Injection seeded single-frequency pulsed Nd:YAG laser resonated by an intracavity phase modulator.

A reliable single frequency Q-switched Nd:YAG laser is developed by using a lithium niobate crystal as the intracavity phase modulator. Successful injection seeding is performed by adopting an electro-optic crystal in an effectively simplified cavity arrangement. The laser is capable of producing 4.