Feasibility study of imaging lidar technique for remote particle counting

Ozu, Akira  ; Kawakita, Hiroshi*; Okamoto, Ryuta*

Optical particle counters (OPCs) using laser light-scattering methods are widely used for aerosol research because they can provide accurate in situ measurements on real time basis. However, in general, it takes a few minutes to count the number of particles suspended in the air. As a novel method, we have developed a remote particle counter (RPC) using an imaging lidar technique, capable of determining with a single laser shot the number and size distribution of particles in the air several meters apart from the observation station. An experimental study has been conducted to calibrate the RPC system. The results obtained in the laboratory test are described compared to those with a conventional OPC using laser light-scattering methods. As the result,the real time measurement of the number and the histogram based on the size distribution of particles in air has been successfully demonstrated with the RPC system.