Remote sensing of the Earth´s surface with an airborne polarized laser

Author

Kalshoven, James E., Jr. ; Dabney, Philip W.

Author_Institution

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA

Volume

31

Issue

2

fYear

1993

fDate

3/1/1993 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

438

Lastpage

446

Abstract

A new remote sensing instrument, the Airborne Laser Polarization Sensor (ALPS), is making the first multispectral radiometric and polarization measurements of the Earth´s surface using a polarized laser light source. Results from data flights taken over boreal forests in Maine at 1060 and 532 nm, using a Nd:YAG laser source, showing depolarization signatures for three broadleaf and five coniferous tree species, are discussed. Measurements made over nonforest ground cover had a large dynamic range in depolarization values at both wavelengths. The ALPS system use twelve photomultiplier tube detectors configurable to measure desired parameters such as the total backscatter and the polarization state, including the azimuthal angle and ellipticity, at different ultraviolet to near-infrared wavelengths simultaneously. Measurements of the azimuth and ellipticity of the backscatter polarization were variable and no specific conclusions have yet been drawn

Keywords

data acquisition; optical radar; polarimetry; remote sensing by laser beam; 1060 nm; 532 nm; Airborne Laser Polarization Sensor; IR; Maine; United States; YAG:Nd; YAl5O12:Nd; azimuthal angle; boreal forests; broadleaf trees; coniferous tree; data acquisition; depolarization signatures; dynamic range; ellipticity; photomultiplier tube detectors; polarization state; total backscatter; visible; Backscatter; Dynamic range; Earth; Instruments; Light sources; Optical polarization; Radiometry; Remote sensing; Surface emitting lasers; Wavelength measurement;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Geoscience and Remote Sensing, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0196-2892

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/36.214920

Filename

214920