Floating LiDAR Buoy System:
The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) has successfully tested an indigenous Floating LiDAR Buoy System off the Muttom coast in Tamil Nadu.The Floating LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) Buoy is a sophisticated oceanic platform designed to provide high-resolution vertical wind profiles and meteorological data from the sea surface.Developed By the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India.Aim is to accurately map offshore wind energy potential, enhance cyclone tracking, and provide real-time data for Blue Economy initiatives.
The system operates on the principle of Optical Remote Sensing.
- The buoy remains stable on the ocean surface while its integrated LiDAR unit emits infrared laser pulses into the atmosphere.
- These pulses hit aerosols, dust, and water droplets in the air and reflect back (Backscattering).
- The system measures the Doppler Shift in the frequency of the returned light to calculate wind speed and direction at various altitudes simultaneously.
