| Cloud and ash particulate information in the air is currently can be obtained by positioning a satellite to a location; however, it produces limited data, and is cost prohibitive. This work addresses the need for low cost, and low weight and power requirements of airborne-type instrumentation for small UAV payloads. A sensor installed on an airborne platform such as a glider, has a tremendous advantage especially if the ability exists to guide the glider to multiple points of interest that are too dangerous for manned aircraft. Such a device will provide substantial contribution to the basic science of clouds and volcanic eruptions (prediction, monitoring, environmental impact, basic volcano processes) as well as for aviation ash hazard mitigation. In-situ ash and water concentrations can be used for direct comparison with simultaneous orbital and ground-based multi-spectral image and spectrometer data.;In this work, a new detection and measurement system based on optical backscattering of water droplets (clouds) and silica particles (volcanic ash ) dispersed and suspended in air is demonstrated. Additionally, this work also provides conceptual verification of the laboratory tests in state of the art wind tunnel testing. From the polarization ratio and backscatter signal, the mean particle size and their number density as well as type of particle can be evaluated. Measurements on water particle density and size are reported as well as ash particles.;In order to get good and correlated data we teamed with NASA JPL through the SBIR (Small Business Innovative Research) program with IDI (Innovative Dynamics Inc, Ithaca NY). Testing was also done at IRT (Icing Research Tunnel) in Cleveland and EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) in Raleigh, NC. |
