A review of turbulence measurements using ground-based wind lidars

A review of turbulence measurements using ground-based wind lidars is carried out. Works performed in the last 30 yr, i.e., from 1972–2012 are analyzed. More than 80% of the work has been carried out in the last 15 yr, i.e., from 1997–2012. New algorithms to process the raw lidar data were pioneered in the first 15 yr, i.e., from 1972–1997, when standard techniques could not be used to measure turbulence. Obtaining unfiltered turbulence statistics from the large probe volume of the lidars has been and still remains the most challenging aspect. Until now, most of the processing algorithms that have been developed have shown that by combining an isotropic turbulence model with raw lidar measurements, we can obtain unfiltered statistics. We believe that an anisotropic turbulence model will provide a more realistic measure of turbulence statistics. Future development in algorithms will depend on whether the unfiltered statistics can be obtained without the aid of any turbulence model. With the tremendous growth of the wind energy sector, we expect that lidars will be used for turbulence measurements much more than ever before

A six-beam method to measure turbulence statistics using ground-based wind lidars

A so-called six-beam method is proposed to measure atmospheric turbulence using a ground-based wind lidar. This method requires measurement of the radial velocity variances at five equally spaced azimuth angles on the base of a scanning cone and one measurement at the centre of the scanning circle, i.e.using a vertical beam at the same height. The scanning configuration is optimized to minimize the sum of the random errors in the measurement of the second-order moments of the components (u,v, w) of the wind field. We present this method as an alternative to the so-called velocity azimuth display (VAD) method that is routinely used in commercial wind lidars, and which usually results in significant averaging effects of measured turbulence. In the VAD method, the high frequency radial velocity measurements are used instead of their variances. The measurements are performed using a pulsed lidar (WindScanner), and the derived turbulence statistics (using both methods) such as the u and v variances are compared with those obtained from a reference cup anemometer and a wind vane at 89 m height under different atmospheric stabilities. The measurements show that in comparison to the reference cup anemometer, depending on the atmospheric stability and the wind field component, the six-beam method measures between 85 and 101% of the reference turbulence, whereas the VAD method measures between 66 and 87% of the reference turbulence

A six-beam method to measure turbulence statistics using ground-based wind lidars

A so-called six-beam method is proposed to measure atmospheric turbulence using a ground-based wind lidar. This method requires measurement of the radial velocity variances at five equally spaced azimuth angles on the base of a scanning cone and one measurement at the centre of the scanning circle, i.e.using a vertical beam at the same height. The scanning configuration is optimized to minimize the sum of the random errors in the measurement of the second-order moments of the components (<I>u,v, w</I>) of the wind field. We present this method as an alternative to the so-called velocity azimuth display (VAD) method that is routinely used in commercial wind lidars, and which usually results in significant averaging effects of measured turbulence. In the VAD method, the high frequency radial velocity measurements are used instead of their variances. The measurements are performed using a pulsed lidar (WindScanner), and the derived turbulence statistics (using both methods) such as the <I>u</I> and <I>v</I> variances are compared with those obtained from a reference cup anemometer and a wind vane at 89 m height under different atmospheric stabilities. The measurements show that in comparison to the reference cup anemometer, depending on the atmospheric stability and the wind field component, the six-beam method measures between 85 and 101% of the reference turbulence, whereas the VAD method measures between 66 and 87% of the reference turbulence