Title: Status on the Lidar Orbital Angular Momentum Sensor ACT
Presenting Author: Carl Weimer
Organization: Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation
Co-Author(s): Jeff Applegate, Mike Lieber, from Ball Aerospace, and Yong Hu, Wenbo Sun, Dave MacDonnell NASA LaRC

Abstract:
The Laguerre-Gaussian is a laser mode that creates a beam with a helical wavefront and an on-axis optical singularity. These beams are commonly called vortex beams because of their helical wavefront which appears to corkscrew as they propagate. They have the property that they can carry angular momentum in both their polarization (nicknamed "spin") and via their helical wavefront (nicknamed "orbital" or OAM) which is unbounded. Laser scattering for remote sensing has been well-studied since the creation of the laser, but primarily with the common Gaussian laser mode. The OAM and singularity of the vortex beams affects how they interact with particles and fluids, which open up the possibility that additional information can be gleaned from a remote scene by using these beams. Modeling and lab tests will be presented, and plans for the next stage.