Title of Paper: NASA LaRC DIAL/Lidar Laser Technology Development Program

Principal Author: Mr. James Barnes

Abstract: Abstract: Future NASA missions to enable global monitoring of the earth's atmosphere will include measurements of ozone, carbon dioxide, water vapor, wind velocity, aerosols, and clouds. These are all important constituents affecting climate and atmospheric chemistry and dynamics. Carbon dioxide has been of particular interest in recent years as a result its increase in the atmosphere combined with its importance to understanding the global carbon cycle and global warming phenomena. NASA Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) and backscatter lidar techniques are leading candidates for active remote sensing of this and other atmospheric constituents from advanced flight platforms. Operating from space, lidar instruments will have the capability to completely map the earth's atmosphere for these and other molecules, as well as for tracking atmospheric phenomena such as volcanic dust transport and storms. This presentation will give an overview of our solid-state laser technology development program with emphasis on the Ho:Tm:YLF laser development to meet measurement requirements for important NASA remote sensing missions such as measurement of carbon dioxide.