Title: FLuorescence for Ocean Research and Observations (FLORO) experiment investigating lidar measurements to identify and characterize marine debris
Presenting Author: Madeline Cowell
Organization: BAE Systems, Inc.
Co-Author(s): Brian Terry, Yin-Hsuen Chen, Blake Steiner, Sridhar Katragadda, Navid Tahvildari, Soenke Dangendorf, George McLeod, Sunghoon Han, Brandon Feldhaus, Joshua Baptist, Oguz Yetkin, and Heather Richter

Abstract:
We gathered fluorescence measurements in a laboratory setting to develop a concept for a fluorescence lidar instrument. The aim was to understand the fluorescence properties of different types of plastic samples, including those obtained from commercial sources as well as those found as beached litter, abandoned fishing nets, and with biofilm growth. The experiment consisted of three distinct segments. In the first segment, our objective was to calculate the ratio of absorbed to fluorescence photons emitted by a hard target. We used a modified DeMello method to calculate quantum yield of a hard target that incorporated an integrating sphere into the setup. The second segment focused on collecting data regarding the spectral response and lifetime decay of fluorescence. To accomplish this, we used a spectrometer to measure the spectral characteristics, and a separate detection scheme utilizing time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) to capture the temporal response. In the final segment, we conducted the experiment on a larger scale by simulating a lidar-like retrieval scenario within a tank. This allowed us to assess the performance and viability of a fluorescence lidar concept under conditions that resemble realistic deployments. We present an overview of our progress, including updates from the laboratory, the results obtained from the data analysis, and our future plans for this project.