Remote cross-wind measurement using atmospheric turbulence

Summary form only given. Cross-wind speed was measured, using a one-station scheme, over a flat sandy beach strip, parallel to the Mediterranean seashore. A diffusive white target distanced 1.5 km away was illuminated with a 5 mJ, Q-switched Nd:YAG laser beam with a rep-rate of 500 Hz. The laser spot on the target had a diameter of about 50 cm. The reflected beam was imaged, near the laser, onto a linear array detector of 50/spl times/250 /spl mu/m element size by a f-1000 mm D=91 mm, Cassegrain lens.