ICE FORMATION ON ROADWAYS AND RUNWAYS IS A PARTICULARLY INSIDIOUS PROBLEM BECAUSE ITS PRESENCE IS OFTEN UNKNOWN TO A VEHICLE OPERATOR.

ICE FORMATION ON ROADWAYS AND RUNWAYS IS A PARTICULARLY INSIDIOUS PROBLEM BECAUSE ITS PRESENCE IS OFTEN UNKNOWN TO A VEHICLE OPERATOR. QUICK DETECTION OF ICE OR CONDITIONS FAVORING ITS FORMATION WILL ALLOW FOR TIMELY APPLICATION OF DEICING COMPOUNDS. THIS NOT ONLY IMPROVES SAFETY, BUT IT ALSO REDUCES MANPOWER, EQUIPMENT, AND CHEMICAL COSTS BY OPTIMIZING THE TIMING AND METHOD OF TREATMENT. WE PROPOSE A NOVEL SCHEME FOR MEASURING ROADWAY SURFACE CONDITIONS USING A COMPACT, PORTABLE SYSTEM WHICH COULD BE MOUNTED ON A CAR OR TRUCK. IT WOULD PROVIDE A CONTINUOUS READOUT OF PAVEMENT CONDITIONS AS THE VEHICLE DRIVES ALONG A ROADWAY OR RUNWAY. THE SYSTEM USES RAMAN SCATTERING OF LIGHT BY THE SURFACE CONSTITUENTS TO DETERMINE THE PRESENCE OF WATER, ICE, AND CHEMICALS ON THE PAVEMENT. IT HAS ALREADY BEEN DEMONSTRATED THAT RAMA SCATTERING CAN BE USED TO DETECT AND DISTINGUISH WATER AND ICE. OUR PHASE I OBJECTIVE IS TO DEMONSTRATE FEASIBILITY UNDER REALISTIC CONDITIONS. THE RAMA SCATTERING SPECTRUM OF WATER AND ICE IN THE PRESENCE OF PAVEMENT AND DEICING CHEMICALS WILL BE MEASURED. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR THE CHOICE OF OPTIMAL SPECTRAL BANDS FOR A DEMONSTRATION ICING MONITORING TO BE BUILT AND FIELD ("ROAD") TESTED UNDER ICING CONDITIONS IN PHASE II.