Submission Date

5-2-2024

Document Type

Paper

Department

Physics & Astronomy

Adviser

Lewis Riley

Committee Member

Thomas Carroll

Committee Member

Lewis Riley

Department Chair

Casey Schwarz

External Reviewer

Jonathan T. Ward

Distinguished Honors

This paper has met the requirements for Distinguished Honors.

Project Description

Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) is a remote sensing technology that obtains relative distance and velocity measurements between a sensor and a defined target by using light transmitted and received from the target. FMCW Doppler LiDAR, a particular variant of LiDAR, functions by analyzing the frequency shift in the reflected light to determine the target's range and velocity. This technology plays a crucial role across various sectors including defense, aerospace, and automotive. This paper presents signal processing algorithms designed to optimize data obtained from Doppler LiDAR sensors. By applying various window functions to time domain data, the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) and resolution of intermittent frequency peaks was enhanced. A centroid calculation method also was found to improve the accuracy at which the intermittent frequency was pinpointed, essential for obtaining accurate range and velocity measurements. These algorithms offer promise for enhancing the reliability and functionality of Doppler LiDAR sensors, by enabling precise data analysis while conserving processing time and power consumption.

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