Performance simulation of space-based coherent wind LIDAR system under various meteorological conditions

A coherent detection Doppler wind lidar (CDWL) system simulation for both ground-based and space-based platforms is established in this study by using the PcModwin and BACKSCAT software to construct an atmospheric model in autumn and winter. Based on the light detection and ranging (LIDAR) equation, the balanced coherent detection principle, the error theory, and the calculation of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), the truncation ratio and the single pulse energy under different conditions were optimized. Meanwhile, the wind speed error and the wind direction error of the space-based platform were determined. The simulation results indicate that at an orbit height of 400 km, with the pulse energy at 225 mJ, and the telescope aperture at 1 m, the space-based coherent wind LIDAR could detect the wind speed at the altitude of 0-5 km, and the maximum horizontal wind speed error was 3.7 m/s.