Development of ground-based Doppler asymmetric spatial heterodyne interferometer and wind field measurement study

The atmospheric wind field is a key parameter for the middle and upper atmosphere, with significant applications in civil and military domains. Currently, the development of ground-based Doppler asymmetric spatial heterodyne wind interferometers is still in its early stages. Moreover, research on the spatial distribution of horizontal wind speed and direction in real wind fields remains limited. To address this, we present the design and development of a ground-based Doppler asymmetric spatial heterodyne wind interferometer for observing the nocturnal airglow of the oxygen green line at 557.7 nm. The instrument’s performance was comprehensively evaluated through optical modeling, laboratory wind speed simulation experiments, and outdoor observation tests. In addition, a preliminary investigation was conducted into the spatial distribution of horizontal wind speed and direction. Experimental results demonstrate that the instrument achieved a calibration error standard deviation of 2.97 m/s in laboratory tests and less than 5 m/s during outdoor observations. These findings validate the instrument’s observation accuracy and confirm the reliability of the inversion calculation formula, demonstrating its effectiveness in investigating the spatial distribution of horizontal wind speed and direction. Furthermore, the instrument meets the precision requirements for wind field measurements at altitudes of 90 to 110 km, providing reliable technical support for middle-atmosphere wind field studies.