Abstract: A velocity such as wind velocity is measured based on a Doppler shift of a backscattered or returned laser signal. The Doppler shift of the backscattered beam is determined from a change in the polarization state or intensity shift of the received or backscattered signal after it has passed through a polarization-dispersive element (PD) and through a polarization analyzer (PA). The electrical signals (I1 and I2) generated from two partial beams provided by the polarization analyzer (PA) represent an the intensity shift. The signals are processed in a computer and the resulting information is displayed, for example.

Abstract: A detector device for detecting and indicating the origin of laser radiation is disclosed. The detector has a plurality of discrete optics, with the discrete optics being arranged in azimuth planes. Each discrete optics monitors a preset solid angle with significant overlap between the angles. Each discrete optics has a first and second wave guide. The first wave guides are coupled to a first opto-electric transducer and the second wave guide is coupled to a second opto-electric transducer. The transducers are respectively coupled to a first and a second detector stage. All first wave guides leading to the first detector stage are of equal length while the second wave guides are of incrementally increasing length in the direction of increasing azimuth angle. The incrementally increasing length causes increasing travel time for light pulses over the wave guides.

Abstract: A radar ranging system uses a laser transmitter and a single detector for producing the start and stop signals for the time interval measurement. Two reference signals are produced by passing two light portions, decoupled from the laser light to be transmitted to a target, through two different delay lines to the detector. The time difference between the first reference signal and a target signal is a measure for the range to be measured. The time difference between the two reference signals is used as a calibration measure for repeatedly calibrating the system. The true range is calculated by forming the ratio of the two time intervals.

Abstract: A method and system is used for detecting the presence of measuring the distance to and producing an image of, objects which, while being strongly absorbing or reflecting themselves, are hid from sight in a medium which is strongly dampening due to light dispersion, such as submersed submarines. The method provides, in addition to detecting the reflection from the surface of the object, a full acquisition of the variation of the backscatter of scanning laser pulses by the medium surrounding the object, with laser pulse transmitters operating with a much larger pulse duration, being usable for this purpose.