Open AccessThree-Dimensional UAV-Based Atmospheric Tomography
Author(s) -
Kevin Rogers,
Anthony Finn
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of atmospheric and oceanic technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.774
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1520-0426
pISSN - 0739-0572
DOI - 10.1175/jtech-d-12-00036.1
Subject(s) - parametric statistics , planetary boundary layer , remote sensing , wind speed , atmospheric turbulence , atmosphere (unit) , turbulence , environmental science , geology , meteorology , series (stratigraphy) , fourier series , tomography , computer science , physics , optics , mathematics , mathematical analysis , paleontology , statistics
This paper presents a method for tomographically reconstructing spatially varying three-dimensional atmospheric temperature profiles and wind velocity fields based on passive acoustic travel time measurements between a small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and ground-based microphones. A series of simulations are presented to provide an indication of the performance of the technique. The parametric fields are modeled as the weighted sum of radial basis functions (RBFs) or Fourier series, which also allow local meteorological measurements made at the UAV and ground receivers to supplement any time delay observations. The technique has potential for practical applications such as boundary layer meteorology and theories of atmospheric turbulence and wave propagation through a turbulent atmosphere.