Laser Fluorosensor Light

APPLICATION

• Detection of laser-induced fluorescence of crude oils, petroleum products and water constituents
• Classification of crude oils, petroleum products and chemicals spilled at sea
• Detection of crude oils, petroleum products and chemicals floating underneath the water surface
• Measurements of oil film thickness over very thin (optically thin) oil layers
• Distinction of naturally occuring biogenic surface films (slicks) from oil spills
• Hydrographic measurements
  (CDOM, turbidity, chlorophyll-a)

Remote classification of marine pollution

At present remote classification of oil spills is only possible using laser fluorosensors.

The Laser Fluorosensor Light (LFS Light) is the lightweight relative of the Imaging Airborne Laser Fluorosensor System (IALFS) by OPTIMARE. The LFS Light is a nadir-looking (non-scanning) fluorescence lidar for airborne detection and remote classification of crude oils, petroleum products and chemicals spilled at sea. The instrument is compact and reliable and has especially been designed for space-saving installation. It has especially been designed to meet the requirements of different tasks of maritime surveillance and to be operated routinely as a part of modern airborne surveillance systems. Besides its oil detection capability the device is suitable for airborne monitoring of (harmful) algal blooms due to its capability to measure the red laser-induced fluorescence signal of chlorophyll.

The LFS Light has been in operation aboard three Spanish maritime surveillance aircraft of EADS-CASA CN-235 type (as at May 2012). A modification of this device has been operated for airborne detection of phytoplankton onboard a helicopter of BO 105 type.