EU project DELICAT (Demonstration of LIdar based CAT detection)

Kurzfassung

DELICAT – Experiment part We report on the development of a long-range airborne UV lidar, intended for the remote detection of clear air turbulence (CAT). The detection of turbulence is based on the measurement of density fluctuations associated with the movement of turbulent air masses. These density fluctuations are measured by the variations in the molecular backscatter coefficient. Within the EC FP7 project ‘DELICAT’ the experimental lidar system has been designed, built and integrated onto the Dutch research aircraft PH-LAB. In summer 2013, a flight campaign has been performed for validating the concept of lidar-based CAT detection. First results of the airborne measurements will be given in the talk. DELICAT - Meteorological Part The projects main objective is testing of detection of clear-air turbulence (CAT) by long the range UV lidar. The realization of this goal was assisted by some meteorological activities. The existing methods of CAT forecasting are not perfect and can not be readily used to create a good forecast. The meteological part was focused on assisting the flight test campaign to increase the CAT encounter chances. In this talk we will present an overview of those activities including the developement of new CAT detection algorithms based on numerical weather prediction model output.