Issued patent
Low Frequency Portable Acoustic Measurement System
An issued NASA patent from the Technology Transfer catalog.
About this technology
Overview
NASAs Langley Research Center has developed a system to detect and locate atmospheric clear air turbulence (CAT) by means of a ground-based infrasonic array to serve as an early warning system for aircraft. This system could augment existing systems such as pilot reports (PIREPs), airborne lidar, and airborne radar. The NASA system offers a benefit based on the fact that the existing electromagnetic methods lack targets at 30,000-40,000 ft and will not detect CAT. Because CAT and severe storms emit infrasound that propagates over vast distances through the Earths atmosphere, the Langley system offers an excellent early warning opportunity. The system has been able to detect known events - such as detection of the launch of the Space Shuttle in Florida all the way from Virginia.It also has correlated data with NOAAs PIREPs information.