Remote bioaerosol detection using a broadband 1.5-micron laser

Nicholas J. Wood; James B. Gillespie; David A. Ligon

doi:10.1117/12.581923

29 December 2004 Remote bioaerosol detection using a broadband 1.5-micron laser

Nicholas J. Wood, James B. Gillespie, David A. Ligon

Proceedings Volume 5617, Optically Based Biological and Chemical Sensing for Defence; (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.581923
Event: European Symposium on Optics and Photonics for Defence and Security, 2004, London, United Kingdom

Abstract

Bioaerosol weapons pose a threat to both troops and civilians. Remote detection of bioaerosols is important for timely deployment of effective countermeasures against these weapons and for triggering other detection systems. In this paper we describe a new approach for remote bioaerosol detection based on an eye-safe spectrally broadband backscatter LIDAR. This technique illuminates a remote cloud using a spectrally broadband laser centred about 1.5 μm. The spectrally backscattered fraction of the broadband illumination beam is detected. Using an inverse Monte Carlo algorithm, the particle size distribution and refractive index of the cloud particles can be determined. In this way threat clouds containing anomalous man-made distributions of particles could be discriminated from normal background clouds. The laser is a custom designed source based on a special non-collinear optical parametric oscillator configuration. The laser produces Q-switched pulses with a maximum spectral bandwidth covering the 1.4 to 1.8 μm region. In practice the spectral region of 1.52 to 1.75 μm is used as this matches an atmospheric transmission window. A comparison of this broadband backscatter LIDAR technique, with the commonly used UV lidar fluorescence technique will be presented. Progress to date and details of a prototype LIDAR system will be described.

Citation Download Citation

Nicholas J. Wood, James B. Gillespie, and David A. Ligon "Remote bioaerosol detection using a broadband 1.5-micron laser", Proc. SPIE 5617, Optically Based Biological and Chemical Sensing for Defence, (29 December 2004); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.581923

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available