Remote Mapping of Vegetation and Geological Features by Lidar in the 9-11-mum Region.

We report examples of the use of a scanning tunable CO(2) laser lidar system in the 9-11-mum region to construct images of vegetation and rocks at ranges as far as 5 km from the instrument. Range information is combined with horizontal and vertical distances to yield an image with three spatial dimensions simultaneous with the classification of target type. Object classification is based on reflectance spectra, which are sufficiently distinct to allow discrimination between several tree species, between trees and scrub vegetation, and between natural and artificial targets.

Wave optics simulation of atmospheric turbulence and reflective speckle effects in CO2 lidar.

Laser speckle can influence lidar measurements from a diffuse hard target. Atmospheric optical turbulence will also affect the lidar return signal. We present a numerical simulation that models the propagation of a lidar beam and accounts for both reflective speckle and atmospheric turbulence effects.

Quantitative chemical identification of four gases in remote infrared (9-11 mum) differential absorption lidar experiments.

A combined experimental and computational approach utilizing tunable CO(2) lasers and chemometric analysis was employed to detect chemicals and their concentrations in the field under controlled release conditions. We collected absorption spectra for four organic gases in the laboratory by lasing 40 lines of the laser in the 9.3-10.

Concentration-dependent energy-transfer processes in Er(3+)-and Tm(3+)-doped heavy-metal fluoride glass.

The energy-transfer rate from the Er(3+)(4)I(13/2) level to the Tm(3+)(3)H(4) level (C(11')N(T)) in BaF(2)/ThF(4) fluoride glass is measured and calculated. The results can be used to determine whether rate equations can be used to predict energy-transfer rates.