Laser Wind Velocimeter With Multiple Radiation Sources

Abstract

A system and method for measuring wind velocities are provided. A laser wind velocimeter with a radiation source includes a fiber laser. All optical signals, transmitted and received, are conveyed by optical fibers. An amplifier amplifies a source laser, which is then transmitted to one or more transceivers. The one or more transceivers, each projecting along a different axis, and each with a single optical fiber input/output interface act as both the transmission device to focus the radiation at a target region, and as the receiving system for collecting reflected radiation. The one or more transceivers transmit radiation to the target region. A portion of the reflected radiation collected by the receiving system is analyzed to determine the Doppler shift, which can me used to measure wind velocity

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for measuring wind velocity comprising:
 producing a plurality of coherent radiation beams comprising a plurality of different frequencies;   modulating, using a plurality of modulators, respective ones of the coherent radiation beams;   transmitting, using a plurality of transceiver modules, the respective ones of the modulated beams to a target region;   receiving a reflected signal from the target region;   combining, using an optical mixer, a reference signal from the source and the reflected signal; and   determining a Doppler shift based on the reference signal from the source and the reflected signal.