Turbulence-induced measurement errors in coherent differential absorption lidar ground systems.

The presence of atmospheric refractive turbulence makes it necessary to use simulations of beam propagation to examine the uncertainty added to the differential absorption lidar (DIAL) measurement process of a practical heterodyne lidar. The inherent statistic uncertainty of coherent return fluctuations in ground lidar systems profiling the atmosphere along slant paths with large elevation angles translates into a lessening of accuracy and sensitivity of any practical DIAL measurement. This technique opens the door to consider realistic, nonuniform atmospheric conditions for any DIAL instrument configuration.