Gluing Lidar Signals Detected in Analog-to-Digital and Photon Counting Modes

Abstract

Lidar is one of the most effective tools for atmospheric remote sensing. For a ground-based lidar system, the backscattered light usually has large dynamic range. Photon-counting mode has the capability to measure weak signal from high altitude, while Analog-to-Digital mode with better linearity is good at measuring strong signal at low altitude. In some lidar systems, atmospheric return signal is measured in both Analog-to-Digital and Photon Counting modes and combined into an entire profile by using a gluing algorithm. A method for gluing atmospheric return signal is developed and tested. For the Photon Counting signal, the saturation characteristics are analyzed to calculate the coefficients for correction. Then the Analog-to-Digital and Photon Counting signals are glued by a weighted average process. Results show the glued signal is reliable at both low and high altitudes.