Development of a multispectral scanning lidar system for measuring wind velocity, air temperature and moisture

Measurements of atmospheric parameters, such as wind velocity, air temperature and moisture, provide important information for a diverse set of fields, ranging from estimating energy output of wind farms to predicting extreme weather events to understanding urban climatology. Performing these measurements quickly, reliably and with high accuracy presents a yet unsolved challenge. Especially when working in or close to complex terrain, such as forests, hillsides or urban landscapes, no available system can properly perform such measurements. The Fraunhofer Institute for Physical Measurement Techniques IPM is developing a novel multispectral scanning LiDAR system. The goal is to simultaneously and accurately measure wind speed, air temperature and moisture over complex terrain for the first time. We present the current state of a scanner system for synchronized steering of multiple laser beams from different LiDAR units towards positions in the commonly visible intersection volume, subtending up to 7/8th of the full solid angle. We also present the state of an in-house developed Doppler Wind LiDAR and our current proposal for a combined wind, air temperature and water vapor LiDAR.