Precipitation gauge

Abstract From the Canadian patent

A precipitation gauge is provided for remotely detecting precipitation and for measuring the rate of precipitation in an open environment, such as an aircraft landing field. The system employs an optical transmitter and receiver, wherein particles of precipitation passing through a light beam from the transmitter cause scintillation at the receiver. The spatial separation between the light transmitter and receiver is quite small, typically substantially less than one meter. The small separation between the transmitter and the receiver is made possible by the use of a partially coherent light beam, in place of a conventional laser beam. The transmitter and receiver are spaced apart a …