Measurement of Depth Profiles of Optical and Hydrophysical Parametres in the Barents Sea: Application to Lidar Sensing Problem

Abstract

Lidar detection of hydrophysical nonhomogeneity, such as internal waves or turbulence, is possible if there is marked stratification of the depth profiles of attenuation coefficient and the fluid density, and if the lidar echo-signal from pycnocline area is sufficiently large. A new submersible instrument for attenuation coefficient measuring was developed and produced. In this paper we describe the instrument and the algorithm of its calibration and measurement accuracy estimation. The results of field measurements of attenuation coefficient, density and temperature depth profiles in 12 spots (stations) in the Barents Sea are given. Using the results of these measurements, we computed the echo-signal levels and the signal-noise ratio as functions of depth. It was shown that at all stations the echo-signal power is sufficient enough for hydrophysical nonhomogeneity detection.