Towards a Brillouin-LIDAR for remote sensing of the temperature profile in the ocean

For remote sensing of temperature profiles in the ocean Brillouin scattering can be exploited as a temperature tracer. Such a lidar system is capable of delivering cost-effective on-line data from an extended region of the ocean compared to conventional in-situ techniques. The acquired temperature profiles can give valuable input to climate studies and weather forecasts. In this contribution we present the current status of our experimental setup, consisting of a light source based on a multi-stage pulsed Yb:doped fiber amplifier and a receiver unit based on an excited state Faraday anomalous dispersion optical filter. Both components are advancements of laboratory experiments and possess the potential to be operated from an aircraft.