A laser beacon for monitoring the mesospheric sodium layer at La Palma

L. Michaille; A. D. Cañas; J. C. Dainty; J. Maxwell; T. Gregory; J. C. Quartel; F. C. Reavell; R. W. Wilson; N. J. Wooder

doi:10.1046/j.1365-8711.2000.03699.x

A laser beacon for monitoring the mesospheric sodium layer at La Palma

L. Michaille
, A. D. Cañas
, J. C. Dainty
, J. Maxwell
, T. Gregory
, J. C. Quartel
, F. C. Reavell
, R. W. Wilson
, N. J. Wooder

Imperial College London
Isaac Newton Group
Cavendish Laboratory

Research output: Contribution to a Journal (Peer & Non Peer) › Article › peer-review

9 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We report the results of the first laser beacon experiment at the astronomical site of La Palma (Canary Islands). A continuous wave low-power laser (a few hundred mW) system has been set up. The laser, tuned on the sodium D₂ line at 589 nm, is launched close to the zenith angle. The emission of the mesospheric sodium layer is observed from a telescope located 160m away from the laser. The layer is therefore resolved in altitude and the different features of its dynamics are investigated.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	139-144
Number of pages	6
Journal	Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume	318
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-8711.2000.03699.x
Publication status	Published - 11 Oct 2000
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Atmospheric effects
Atomic processes
Scattering
Site testing
Telescopes

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10.1046/j.1365-8711.2000.03699.x

Cite this

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title = "A laser beacon for monitoring the mesospheric sodium layer at La Palma",

abstract = "We report the results of the first laser beacon experiment at the astronomical site of La Palma (Canary Islands). A continuous wave low-power laser (a few hundred mW) system has been set up. The laser, tuned on the sodium D2 line at 589 nm, is launched close to the zenith angle. The emission of the mesospheric sodium layer is observed from a telescope located 160m away from the laser. The layer is therefore resolved in altitude and the different features of its dynamics are investigated.",

keywords = "Atmospheric effects, Atomic processes, Scattering, Site testing, Telescopes",

author = "L. Michaille and Ca{\~n}as, \{A. D.\} and Dainty, \{J. C.\} and J. Maxwell and T. Gregory and Quartel, \{J. C.\} and Reavell, \{F. C.\} and Wilson, \{R. W.\} and Wooder, \{N. J.\}",

year = "2000",

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doi = "10.1046/j.1365-8711.2000.03699.x",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - A laser beacon for monitoring the mesospheric sodium layer at La Palma

AU - Michaille, L.

AU - Cañas, A. D.

AU - Dainty, J. C.

AU - Maxwell, J.

AU - Gregory, T.

AU - Quartel, J. C.

AU - Reavell, F. C.

AU - Wilson, R. W.

AU - Wooder, N. J.

PY - 2000/10/11

Y1 - 2000/10/11

N2 - We report the results of the first laser beacon experiment at the astronomical site of La Palma (Canary Islands). A continuous wave low-power laser (a few hundred mW) system has been set up. The laser, tuned on the sodium D2 line at 589 nm, is launched close to the zenith angle. The emission of the mesospheric sodium layer is observed from a telescope located 160m away from the laser. The layer is therefore resolved in altitude and the different features of its dynamics are investigated.

AB - We report the results of the first laser beacon experiment at the astronomical site of La Palma (Canary Islands). A continuous wave low-power laser (a few hundred mW) system has been set up. The laser, tuned on the sodium D2 line at 589 nm, is launched close to the zenith angle. The emission of the mesospheric sodium layer is observed from a telescope located 160m away from the laser. The layer is therefore resolved in altitude and the different features of its dynamics are investigated.

KW - Atmospheric effects

KW - Atomic processes

KW - Scattering

KW - Site testing

KW - Telescopes

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/0038606572

U2 - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2000.03699.x

DO - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2000.03699.x

M3 - Article

SN - 0035-8711

VL - 318

SP - 139

EP - 144

JO - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

JF - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

IS - 1

ER -

A laser beacon for monitoring the mesospheric sodium layer at La Palma

Abstract

Keywords

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