The probability distribution function for the mixing scatter ratio is derived and used to model variations in total backscatter coefficient and extinction profiles in the visible and the near IR. The profiles, based on 25 years of lower stratospheric aerosol measurements, are used to estimate signal-to-noise ratio, laser-pulse energy, and wavefront measurement error with respect to backscatter strength, guidestar pulse length and altitude, and read noise. The results show that for a given wavefront error, (1) visible guidestars require less pulse energy for aerosol concentrations near background where molecular backscatter dominates, and (2) for high aerosol loading following a major volcanic event, a NIR guidestar requires a lower pulse energy than for visible wavelength sensing.

Date Published: 27 September 1999
PDF: 13 pages
Proc. SPIE 3762, Adaptive Optics Systems and Technology, (27 September 1999); doi: 10.1117/12.363592

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 3762:
Adaptive Optics Systems and Technology
Robert K. Tyson; Robert Q. Fugate, Editor(s)