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The absolute frequency reference unit for the spaceborne methane-sensing lidar mission MERLIN

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Abstract

Lidar systems have become an important technology in a variety of industrial and scientific applications. For terrestrial applications, such systems have been developed over the last decade and are commercially available. In space, this technology does not have a comparable maturity level and is still far from being a standard technology. In this paper, we present the operating principle, the design, and performance of the spaceborne absolute frequency reference used in the instrument of the French–German methane remote-sensing lidar mission, MERLIN. The MERLIN instrument operates on a methane absorption feature at 1645.55 nm. To achieve the accuracy goal for the column-integrated methane concentration of 3 ppb, absolute frequency accuracy levels in the low MHz range are required. The absolute frequency reference unit provides the stabilized seed lasers for the high-power laser sources at the required wavelengths and measures the absolute frequency of the outgoing laser pulses by means of a wavemeter. The focus of this paper is on the implementation of the absolute frequency referencing and the obtained frequency stability and accuracy.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Mathieu Quatrevalet, Andreas Fix, and Gerhard Ehret for the possibility and the support to perform the absolute frequency calibration of the MERLIN FRU with a GPS-referenced frequency comb at the DLR IPA in Oberpfaffenhofen.

The presented activities are being performed under a contract of the “Bundesministeriums für Wirtschaft und Energie” (BMWi), number 50EP1301. The work is part of a cooperation of DLR and CNES for the French–German MERLIN mission. The responsibility of the content of this publication lies with the authors.

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  1. SpaceTech GmbH, Seelbachstr. 13, 88090, Immenstaad, Germany

    D. Heinecke, T. Liebherr, D. Battles, K. Schleisiek, D. Fehrenbacher, A. Baatzsch, M. Herding, C. Dahl & H. Schäfer

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  1. D. Heinecke
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  2. T. Liebherr
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  3. D. Battles
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  4. K. Schleisiek
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  5. D. Fehrenbacher
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  6. A. Baatzsch
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  7. M. Herding
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  8. C. Dahl
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  9. H. Schäfer
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Correspondence to D. Heinecke.

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Heinecke, D., Liebherr, T., Battles, D. et al. The absolute frequency reference unit for the spaceborne methane-sensing lidar mission MERLIN. CEAS Space J 11, 459–473 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12567-019-00268-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12567-019-00268-6

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