Improvement of the performance of the INPE lidar by adding high sensitivity photomultipliers

• Grant number: 08/02675-7
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: June 01, 2008
• End date: May 31, 2009
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Geophysics
• Principal Investigator: Paulo Prado Batista
• Grantee: Paulo Prado Batista
• Host Institution: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brasil). São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This project is focused in introducing an upgrade in the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) lidar by adding high sensitivity photomultipliers recently launched in the market which uses semiconductors technology in this way obtaining quantum efficiency much higher than the conventional ones actually used (40% compared to 8%). As a consequence a five fold counting rate increase is expected in the photon signal backscattered by the atmosphere. The target is to increase the temporal resolution of the sodium density and temperature measurements, allowing the study of wave movements with periods smaller than one hour (gravity or buoyancy waves). (AU)