An Acoustic Sounder System has been installed on the side of the cliff at North Oscura Peak, WSMR to provide important refractive index structure parameter, Cn2 data for laser propagation tests. The acoustic sounder system records echo information that is used to provide 3 dimensional wind and optical turbulence profiles. The received signal is the product of the interaction of the transmitted acoustic pulse with the small scale atmospheric temperature variations. This information is displayed as a time-height display ofthe signal intensity. The frequency of the received signals are processed and converted into time histories ofthe horizontal wind field.The data from the Acoustic Sounder is calibrated with the hot-wire anemometer temperature structure parameter (Cr2 ) data, and meteorological data measured locally to produce the C2 profile. The design and location of the Acoustic Sounder System will be discussed along with the methodology of extracting the turbulence. Many days of data have been collected and representative data will be shown.
Optical turbulence conditions at a mountain peak (North Oscura Peak, NM) have been calculated using two hot-wire anemometers. The anemometers (running in constant current mode, with a very low overheat ratio) measure temperature fluctuations. Combining the fluctuating temperature data with wind velocity data, local temperature and pressure, and invoking Taylor's hypothesis, the optical turbulence parameters can be calculated. These parameters include temperature structure parameter (Cfl and the refractive index structure parameter (C). The two probes are positioned at different elevations above the ground, thus the vertical optical turbulence gradient can be calculated. This relationship is used to calibrate an acoustic sounder.Optical turbulence data collected from the hot-wire anemometers as well as the acoustic sounder will be compared to meteorological events measured locally. Many days of data have been collected and will be shown, of particular interest is the relationship between optical turbulence and solar radiation, as well as wind speed and direction. The diurnal relationship of the optical turbulence gradient will also be shown. As well as the effect of this parameter on the acoustic sounder calibration.
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