Analytical model of returned waveform for hydrographic Lidar considering multiple scattering effect

Hydrographic Lidar has the potential to provide full spatial coverage, high accuracy and high spatial density water altimetric and bathemetric measurements, which increase many applications in hydrology, geomorphology, and meteorology. Compared with topographic Lidar, the development of hydrographic Lidar is much more difficult because of the complicated mechanism for laser propagation in water. In this paper, we give analytical analysis of the light propagation through the air-the water-the air for hydrographic Lidar. Compared with the classical model, eg. Wa-Lid model, we take the multiple scattering effects into consideration. Based on “multiple forward scattering and single-back scattering” model, the impact of filed of view(FOV) on hydrographic Lidar is analyzed. The signal to noise ratio is used to evaluate the performance of system and the optimal FOV for different range is calculated. We give a simulation of returned waveform in the case of limited FOV situation and unlimited FOV situation, and take it as a theoretical base for interpretation of hydrographic Lidar data.