Deployable scintillometer for ocean optical turbulence characterization

Burton Neuner III; Skylar Lilledahl; Joseph T. Coffaro; Jonathan Itschner; Ben Laxton; Brittany Lynn

doi:10.1117/12.2588721

12 April 2021 Deployable scintillometer for ocean optical turbulence characterization

Burton Neuner III, Skylar Lilledahl, Joseph T. Coffaro, Jonathan Itschner, Ben Laxton, Brittany Lynn

Proceedings Volume 11752, Ocean Sensing and Monitoring XIII; 117520A (2021) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2588721
Event: SPIE Defense + Commercial Sensing, 2021, Online Only

Abstract

This effort designed and tested new algorithms and deployable scintillometer hardware for ocean optical turbulence characterization. Novel features include a hand-deployable design, a non-laser optical source, a rapidly adjustable propagation length, and a collocated multi-instrument environmental sensor package. Undersea testing was contingent on several accomplishments, including developing robust algorithms and data logging methods, integrating compact optics and electronics, and engineering handheld-sized pressure vessels suitable for field experimentation. The test assembly was deployed in 428-m Pacific Ocean water from a small boat. Direct measurements revealed the ocean’s refractive-index structure parameter (C_n² from 1.9×10⁻¹¹ m^−2/3 to 2.3×10⁻¹⁰ m^−2/3) and the inner scale of optical turbulence (l₀ from 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm). Onboard temperature, depth, beam attenuation, and backscattering sensors corroborated key regions of interest, namely the thermocline. By integrating turbulence, temperature, depth, attenuation, and backscattering measurements within a single hand-portable assembly, we increased our understanding of ocean optical dynamics while demonstrating the practicality of a low size, weight, and power scintillometer.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Burton Neuner III, Skylar Lilledahl, Joseph T. Coffaro, Jonathan Itschner, Ben Laxton, and Brittany Lynn "Deployable scintillometer for ocean optical turbulence characterization", Proc. SPIE 11752, Ocean Sensing and Monitoring XIII, 117520A (12 April 2021); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2588721

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