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Science 4 July 2003:
Vol. 301. no. 5629, pp. 61 - 64
DOI: 10.1126/science.1085020
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Review

White-Light Filaments for Atmospheric Analysis

J. Kasparian,1* M. Rodriguez,2 G. Méjean,1 J. Yu,1 E. Salmon,1 H. Wille,2 R. Bourayou,2,3 S. Frey,1,2 Y.-B. André,4 A. Mysyrowicz,4 R. Sauerbrey,3 J.-P. Wolf,1 L. Wöste2

Most long-path remote spectroscopic studies of the atmosphere rely on ambient light or narrow-band lasers. High-power femtosecond laser pulses have been found to propagate in the atmosphere as dynamically self-guided filaments that emit in a continuum from the ultraviolet to the infrared. This white light exhibits a directional behavior with enhanced backward scattering and was detected from an altitude of more than 20 kilometers. This light source opens the way to white-light and nonlinear light detection and ranging applications for atmospheric trace-gas remote sensing or remote identification of aerosols. Air ionization inside the filaments also opens promising perspectives for laser-induced condensation and lightning control. The mobile femtosecond-terawatt laser system, Teramobile, has been constructed to study these applications.

1 Teramobile project, Laboratoire de Spectrométrie Ionique et Moléculaire, UMR CNRS 5579, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 43 boulevard du 11 novembre 1918, F-69622 Villeurbanne Cedex, France. 2 Teramobile project, Institut für Experimentalphysik, Freie Universität Berlin, Arnimallee 14, D-14195 Berlin, Germany. 3 Teramobile project, Institut für Optik und Quantenelektronik, Max-Wien-Platz 1, D-07743 Jena, Germany. 4 Teramobile project, Laboratoire d'Optique Appliquée, UMR CNRS 7639, ENSTA–Ecole Polytechnique, Centre de l'Yvette, Chemin de la Hunière, F-91761 Palaiseau Cedex, France.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: jkaspari{at}lasim.univ-lyon1.fr

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