WILIA-HR
Ultra-High-Resolution Wind Lidar for Aerodynamics using frequency modulation
Supervisor: Laurent LOMBARD | Employer: Universté Paris-Saclay | 3i dimension: intersectorial 📥 WILIA-HR
Contact: pierre.bourdon@onera.fr; laurent.lombard@onera.frAbstract: Doppler lidars measure the velocity of distant targets and atmospheric wind by analyzing the Doppler shift of light backscattered by aerosols. They are key tools for atmospheric and aerodynamic studies, but their spatial resolution, typically tens of meters, is limited by laser pulse duration. ONERA has developed a promising approach using fast frequency modulation, inspired by FMCW (frequency-modulated continuous-wave) ranging, achieving sub-meter resolution but requiring further optimization and dedicated signal processing. This PhD aims to significantly enhance the spatial resolution of 1.5-µm coherent Doppler wind lidars through modeling, simulation, and the development of a laboratory prototype. The work includes instrument simulation, signal-processing design, component selection, experimental validation, and real-wind measurements, with strong potential impact in experimental aerodynamics, especially in non-intrusive optical methods for flow sensing.
Project Objectives
The project aligns with the 3i scope. ONERA, as the French aerospace lab, maintains strong ties with the aeronautics industry, offering the PhD fellow direct exposure to industrial contexts, needs, and contacts. The work itself is inherently interdisciplinary, positioned at the interface between laser physics, lidar instrumentation, signal processing, and experimental aerodynamics. The presence of a specialist in aerodynamic experiments within the supervision team ensures that the student will engage with real aerodynamic challenges, including wind-tunnel measurements and the associated constraints of aerospace applications. The project also has an international dimension: ONERA hosts researchers from various countries, participates in numerous European collaborations, and the co-supervisor (W. Patiño) is Colombian, reinforcing the multicultural environment. The expected outcome is to strengthen cooperation between optics and aerodynamics within Paris-Saclay and contribute to future developments of interest to the aeronautics sector.
Host Laboratory: DOTA 3i Host Laboratory: ONERA
Specific skills and requirements
Pre-requisite: TO BE UPDATED - REFER TO PDF
Advantageous: TO BE UPDATED - REFER TO PDF
Biographies
Thesis Director Short Bio: Pierre Bomard will serve as the thesis director and Laurent Lombard the principal scientific and technical supervisor. With strong expertise in lasers and coherent lidar systems, Laurent Lombard will provide day-to-day guidance on the design, simulation, and testing of the instrument from an optics and signal-processing perspective. Together with William Patiño (co-supervisor), he will be the main point of contact for the PhD fellow regarding technical and scientific questions related to lidar physics, system architecture, and data analysis. The supervision team also includes Paul Beaumard, a specialist in experimental aerodynamics, who brings extensive experience with wind-tunnel testing and the needs of the aerospace industry. His role is to ensure alignment of the project with aerodynamic applications. He will help define lidar specifications, identify relevant use-cases, and design appropriate experimental demonstrations. The PhD fellow will interact with him particularly for questions related to aerodynamic constraints, experiment preparation, and potential wind-tunnel tests. He will also follow the candidate's progress throughout the project, providing complementary guidance to the core lidar supervision team.
3i Co-supervisor Short Bio: Paul Beaumard holds advanced training in aerodynamics from Centrale Nantes and Imperial College London. His expertise lies in turbulence, with a PhD dedicated to the subject, and in measuring small-scale turbulence in aerodynamic environments to enhance and validate simulation models.
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