Bistatic LIDAR system for the characterisation of aviation-related pollutant column densities

In this paper we investigate an innovative application of Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) technology for aviation-related pollutant measurements. The proposed measurement technique is conceived for the high-resolution characterisation in space and time domains of aviation-related pollutant gases. The system performs Integral Path Differential Absorption (IPDA) measurement in a bistatic LIDAR measurement setup. The airborne component consists of a tuneable Near Infrared (NIR) laser emitter installed on an Unmanned Aircraft (UA) and the ground sub-system is composed by a target reference surface (calibrated for reflectance) and a differential transmittance measuring device based on a NIR Camera calibrated for radiance. The specific system implementation for Carbon Dioxide (CO2) measurement is discussed. A preliminary assessment of the error figures associated with the proposed system layout is performed.