Passive Optical Monitoring of Wind Conditions and Indication of Aircraft Wakes Near Airport Runways

Abstract

Wind speed and atmospheric turbulence near an airport runway were measured using a passive optical method, which is based on the correlation analysis of turbulent distortions of distant objects under observation. An optical path was set up in the region of the ground section of a descent glidepath near the beginning of the runway. After an aircraft passed above the line of sight of the measuring device, significant wind speed spikes and increased turbulence in the aircraft wake were detected against the background of a moderate crosswind. The results confirm the practical applicability of this method for instrumental detection of the presence or absence of vortex wakes over an airfield. This information can be useful in the assessment of the safe intervals in air traffic flow-management.