INTELLISENSE SYSTEMS INC — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: N201-038

Description

To address the Navy’s need for a new sensor for marine wave boundary turbulence and atmosphere characterization in submarines, Intellisense Systems, Inc. proposes to develop a new Submarine Active Meteorological Sensor (SAMS), based on the use of multi-aperture differential image motion lidar (MA-DIML) technology for turbulence measurements and multiwavelength lidar (MWL) technology for measurement of the distribution of air temperature and the concentration of water vapor and for estimation of the content of atmospheric particles, combined with a novel scheme for electronically scanning the sensor line of sight to measure atmospheric parameters in multiple directions. Specifically, the innovation in the sensor optical scheme and the use of a high-energy picosecond multiwavelength laser will enable the SAMS design to have a single optical aperture. The compact SAMS will have a wide field of view and provide information about 3-D distribution of atmospheric parameters. A single optical aperture will ensure sensor operation in adverse marine environments, as required for the submarine applications. In Phase I, Intellisense will develop the system architecture and optomechanical design and will demonstrate the feasibility of SAMS by simulating its operation in various weather conditions. In Phase II, Intellisense plans to design and develop a SAMS laboratory prototype for testing and evaluation.