Abstract: A beam transmitter, a receiver, and a LIDAR, along with methods to operate each are provided. The beam transmitter comprises a first and a second transmission channel (201a, 201b), each transmission channel including a first online laser, a first offline laser, and a first laser transmission selection switch operable to toggle between including the first online laser signal and the first offline laser signal in a first transmission beam. The beam transmitter further includes at least one light redirection device operable to coalign the first transmission beam with the second transmission beam. The receiver comprises a first splitter (402a, 402b), a first filter (404a, 404b), a first detector channel (406a, 406b), a second splitter (408a, 408b), a second filter (410a, 410b), and a second detector channel (412a, 412b). The LIDAR includes the beam transmitter, the receiver, and a shared telescope.

Abstract: A method (100) and system (500) for determining a floe size distribution (350), (516) for a plurality of floes within a geographical area (204), comprising determining a chord length distribution (512) for the geographical area (204), the chord length distribution (512) comprising a plurality of measured floe chord lengths, and determining the floe size distribution (350, 516) over the geographical area (204) based on the chord length distribution (512), the floe size distribution (350, 516) comprising a plurality of floe diameters (402).

Abstract: A band filter (100, 200) for filtering a discrete time series signal (110) is provided. The band filter (100, 200) includes an input frequency shifter (120, 220) configured to frequency down shift the discrete time series signal (110, 210) to provide a frequency down shifted discrete time series signal (120a, 220a), a regression based zero frequency centered band filter (130, 230) communicatively coupled to the input frequency shifter (120, 220), the regression based zero frequency centered band filter (130. 230) being configured to filter the frequency down shifted discrete time series signal (120a, 220a) to provide a filtered and frequency down shifted discrete time series signal (130a, 230a), and an output frequency shifter (140, 240) communicatively coupled to the regression based zero frequency centered band filter (130, 230), the output frequency shifter (140, 240) being configured to frequency up shift the filtered and frequency down shifted discrete time series signal (130a, 230a).

Abstract: A band filter (100, 200) for filtering a discrete time series signal (110) is provided. The band filter (100, 200) includes an input frequency shifter (120, 220) configured to frequency down shift the discrete time series signal (110, 210) to provide a frequency down shifted discrete time series signal (120a, 220a), a regression based zero frequency centered band filter (130, 230) communicatively coupled to the input frequency shifter (120, 220), the regression based zero frequency centered band filter (130, 230) being configured to filter the frequency down shifted discrete time series signal (120a, 220a) to provide a filtered and frequency down shifted discrete time series signal (130a, 230a), and an output frequency shifter (140, 240) communicatively coupled to the regression based zero frequency centered band filter (130, 230), the output frequency shifter (140, 240) being configured to frequency up shift the filtered and frequency down shifted discrete time series signal (130a, 230a).

Abstract: An air sample collection apparatus and methods for operating the air sample collection apparatus are provided. The air sample apparatus comprises a plurality of air canisters comprising at least a first canister and a second canister, a multi-position valve comprising an outlet, and an inlet region, which are fluidly connected to a plurality of ports. Each respective port is fluidly connected to a canister of the plurality of air canisters, a pump operable to provide pressurized sample air to the inlet region of the multi-position valve, and a computing device operable to open and close each respective port fluidly coupled to each canister of the plurality of canisters.

Abstract: A method and system for removing ground clutter data from time series radar data are provided. The method comprises receiving the time series radar data, applying a clutter filter to the time series radar data to generate a filtered time series radar data, applying a discrete Fourier transform to the filtered time series radar data to generate a filtered frequency domain data, determining a filter bias for one or more filter biased frequency domain frequencies of the filtered frequency domain data based on a frequency response of the clutter filter, and correcting the filtered frequency domain data by adding the filter bias to the filtered frequency domain data at the one or more filter biased frequency domain frequencies to generate a filtered and bias corrected frequency domain data.

Abstract: A method and system for determining cloud seeding potential comprises receiving a temperature and a liquid water content (LWC). A seeding index is calculated based on the temperature T, a temperature membership function ƒ(T), the LWC, and a liquid water content membership function ƒ(LWC) at the plurality of grid points to create a seeding index set. A target region potential flag is set based on the seeding index set.

Abstract: A filter for a micropulse differential absorption LIDAR is provided. The filter comprises an etalon including a free spectral range substantially the same as a difference between a first laser wavelength and a second laser wavelength, the etalon further including a finesse providing substantial background noise suppression and substantially constant transmission of the first laser wavelength and the second laser wavelength over a predetermined range of wavelengths, and a first filter having a first filter bandpass selected to include the first laser wavelength and the second laser wavelength.

Abstract: A beam transmitter, a receiver, and a LIDAR, along with methods to operate each are provided. The beam transmitter comprises a first and a second transmission channel (201a, 201b), each transmission channel including a first online laser, a first offline laser, and a first laser transmission selection switch operable to toggle between including the first online laser signal and the first offline laser signal in a first transmission beam. The beam transmitter further includes at least one light redirection device operable to coalign the first transmission beam with the second transmission beam. The receiver comprises a first splitter (402a, 402b), a first filter (404a, 404b), a first detector channel (406a, 406b), a second splitter (408a, 408b), a second filter (410a, 410b), and a second detector channel (412a, 412b). The LIDAR includes the beam transmitter, the receiver, and a shared telescope.

Abstract: A shared optics and telescope for transmitting a transmission beam and receiving a return signal is provided. The shared optics and telescope includes a pair of axicon lenses operable to shape the transmission beam into an annular beam having an outer diameter and an inner diameter, a secondary mirror operable to deflect the annular beam into a deflected annular transmission beam, and a primary mirror that includes an inner mirror portion and an outer mirror portion, the inner mirror portion operable to expand the deflected annular transmission beam, and the outer mirror portion operable to collect the return signal.

Abstract: A method for determining a quality controlled sensor set from a redundant sensor set comprising calculating a first time correlation coefficient and a first autocorrelation coefficient based on a first sensor time series data, calculating a second time correlation coefficient and a second autocorrelation coefficient based on a second sensor time series data, calculating a first and second sensor correlation coefficient based on the first sensor time series data and the second sensor time series data, and determining the quality controlled sensor set with a highest confidence level.

Abstract: A method and system for removing ground clutter data from time series data are provided. The method comprises receiving first time series data, dividing the first time series data into a plurality of subsets of first time series data, applying a first regression filter to each respective subset first time series data of the plurality of subsets of first time series data to generate a plurality of regression filtered subsets of first time series data, and concatenating the plurality of regression filtered subsets of first time series data to generate a regression filtered first time series data.

Abstract: A method and system for removing ground clutter data from time series radar data are provided. The method comprises receiving the time series radar data, applying a clutter filter to the time series radar data to generate a filtered time series radar data, applying a discrete Fourier transform to the filtered time series radar data to generate a filtered frequency domain data, determining a filter bias for one or more filter biased frequency domain frequencies of the filtered frequency domain data based on a frequency response of the clutter filter, and correcting the filtered frequency domain data by adding the filter bias to the filtered frequency domain data at the one or more filter biased frequency domain frequencies to generate a filtered and bias corrected frequency domain data.

Abstract: An air sample collection apparatus and methods for operating the air sample collection apparatus are provided. The air sample apparatus comprises a plurality of air canisters comprising at least a first canister and a second canister, a multi-position valve comprising an outlet, and an inlet region, which are fluidly connected to a plurality of ports. Each respective port is fluidly connected to a canister of the plurality of air canisters, a pump operable to provide pressurized sample air to the inlet region of the multi-position valve, and a computing device operable to open and close each respective port fluidly coupled to each canister of the plurality of canisters.

Abstract: Lidar is an acronym for Light Detection And Ranging. The technology may be used to measure distance by illuminating a target with a laser beam and performing analysis on the reflected laser beam light. In the atmospheric sciences, Lidar may be used to study the optical depth of clouds, the impact of aerosols on clouds, and the interactions between aerosols and clouds on the climate. The present application proposes a lidar-based technology using a diode laser (101) beam sent through a tapered semiconductor optical amplifier (106) and an axicon pair expander (108) wherein the laser light may be transmitted through a telescope (110) at an object to be studied. Upon striking the object to be studied, the laser (101) is reflected and recovered by the telescope (110). The reflected laser is then sent through a heated rubidium vapor cell (115) and a total detection channel (116) for analysis.

Abstract: A method and system for determining cloud seeding potential comprises receiving a temperature and a liquid water content (LWC). A seeding index is calculated based on the temperature T, a temperature membership function ƒ(T), the LWC, and a liquid water content membership function ƒ(LWC) at the plurality of grid points to create a seeding index set. A target region potential flag is set based on the seeding index set.

Abstract: A method and system for removing ground clutter data from time series data are provided. The method comprises receiving first time series data, dividing the first time series data into a plurality of subsets of first time series data, applying a first regression filter to each respective subset first time series data of the plurality of subsets of first time series data to generate a plurality of regression filtered subsets of first time series data, and concatenating the plurality of regression filtered subsets of first time series data to generate a regression filtered first time series data.

Abstract: A method for determining a quality controlled sensor set from a redundant sensor set comprising calculating a first time correlation coefficient and a first autocorrelation coefficient based on a first sensor time series data, calculating a second time correlation coefficient and a second autocorrelation coefficient based on a second sensor time series data, calculating a first and second sensor correlation coefficient based on the first sensor time series data and the second sensor time series data, and determining the quality controlled sensor set with a highest confidence level.

Abstract: A shared optics and telescope, a filter, and a micropulse differential absorption LIDAR are provided, with methods to use the same. The shared optics and telescope includes a pair of axicon lenses, a secondary mirror, a primary mirror including an inner mirror portion and an outer mirror portion, the inner mirror portion operable to expand the deflected annular transmission beam, and the outer mirror portion operable to collect the return signal. The filter includes an etalon and a first filter. The micropulse differential absorption LIDAR includes first and second laser signals, a laser transmission beam selection switch, a first laser return signal switch, and a toggle timer.

Abstract: A photon counting system is provided. The photon counting system comprises an analog domain and a digital domain in communication with the analog domain. A detector is configured to detect photons. An analog digital converter is provided in the digital domain, while an amplifier circuit is provided in the analog domain that is configured to receive the detector's output, wherein the amplifier circuit's output is in communication with the analog digital converter. The output of the analog digital converter is in communication with a signal processing system that may perform accumulation of signals and store them in memory.