Remote Analysis of Methane Concentration in the Atmosphere with an IR Lidar System in the 3300–3430 nm Spectral Range

Abstract

A differential absorption lidar (DIAL) system based on optical parametric oscillators (OPO) with nonlinear KTA and KTP crystals is designed. The crystals allow laser radiation tuning in the IR wavelength region. A series of experiments on remote monitoring of methane along a horizontal surface sounding path in the 3300–3430 nm spectral range was carried out. Based on the experimental results, the CH4 concentrations are retrieved along a surface 800-m path in the spectral range under study with a spatial resolution of 100 m.