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A LIDAR POLARIMETER TECHNIQUE FOR MEASURING SUSPENDED SOLIDS IN WATER
Citation:
Presley, D. AND R. Newton. A LIDAR POLARIMETER TECHNIQUE FOR MEASURING SUSPENDED SOLIDS IN WATER. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/4-81/036.
Description:
This study investigates the capability of the lidar polarimeter to measure the concentration of suspended solids in water for a variety of measurement conditions. Previous laboratory and field measurements have demonstrated the potential of the system to measure turbidity, transmittance and suspended solids under field conditions. The instrument measures two orthogonally polarized components of laser energy back-scattered from a scene which in this study is sediment-laden water. The results of the data analysis show the direct dependence of the back-scattered measurements to scattering particle concentration for all of the measurement conditions examined. This direct dependence confirms the ability of the lidar polarimeter to measure suspended solids in water. However, further laboratory measurements and field experiments to better determine particular particle effects are recommended.