Embodiments of the invention are directed to an optoelectronic device for detection and identification of individual water droplets,
ice crystals,
dust particles and
volcanic ash particles, the device comprising a source of
ultraviolet collimated
monochromatic radiation that illuminates an area of air external to the aircraft through which freely pass individual atmospheric particles to create an illuminated
sample volume of air; an optical surveillance
system for monitoring the
clarity of
light transmission through the light transmissive window to indicate a need for
preventive maintenance; a first optical detection
system that is constructed and arranged to collect light scattered from individual particles over an explicit angle
ranging from 137° to 173° that defines the illuminated
sample volume for measurement of S and P components of return
scattered light from the
sample volume to photodetectors that provide signals representative of intensity and change in polarization state caused by the interaction of particles with the incident illumination in the sample volume; a second optical detection
system for selectively detecting
fluorescence emanating from individual ash particles over an explicit angle
ranging from 137° to 173° that defines the illuminated sample volume for measurement of fluoresence from the sample volume to a
photodetector that provide a
signal representative of intensity caused by the interaction of particles with the incident illumination in the sample volume; a
signal processor that is constructed and arranged to condition the signals from the photodetectors by removing electronic
noise, restoring baseline shifts and analyzing the pulse shapes to provide processed signals; a
signal analyzer configured to operate upon the processed signals for extraction of data representing
maximum amplitude, width,
rise time and
fall time of individual pulses in the S and P components, and the magnitude of the
fluorescence signal which correlates to the size and / or composition of ash particles present; an information synthesizer that receives the data and produces analytical results allocated to particles by
particle type including equivalent optical
diameter (EOD), number and
mass size distributions, and number and
mass concentrations, the
particle type being selected as at least one member among the group consisting of individual water droplets,
ice crystals,
dust particles and
volcanic ash particles; and a report generator that creates an information packet utilizing information from the information synthesizer to assist in
decision making related to
hazard avoidance for aircraft flight, the optoelectronic system being adapted for mounting and operation on an aircraft.