Differential absorption lidar thermometer

From Glossary of Meteorology



differential absorption lidar thermometer[edit | edit source]

(Abbreviated DIAL thermometer.) An active remote sensor that measures temperature using a laser.

To measure temperature, a DIAL thermometer transmits three wavelengths: one on an oxygen absorption band, one off the band, and one at the transition wavelength in between. With this technique, the concentrations of oxygen in various energy states can be measured. Many of the high rotational energy states of oxygen are temperature dependent, allowing temperature to be inferred from the DIAL measurements. This method requires very high accuracy, spectral resolution, and stability of the laser transmitter and detector, which are characteristics that are almost achieved at present.


Copyright 2024 American Meteorological Society (AMS). For permission to reuse any portion of this work, please contact permissions@ametsoc.org. Any use of material in this work that is determined to be “fair use” under Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act (17 U.S. Code § 107) or that satisfies the conditions specified in Section 108 of the U.S.Copyright Act (17 USC § 108) does not require AMS’s permission. Republication, systematic reproduction, posting in electronic form, such as on a website or in a searchable database, or other uses of this material, except as exempted by the above statement, require written permission or a license from AMS. Additional details are provided in the AMS Copyright Policy statement.