Which environmental factors can affect Lidar measurements?

Fog, rain, and dust can significantly affect Lidar measurements due to their impact on light propagation. Lidar systems use laser pulses to measure distances and detect objects. When operating in conditions with thick fog, heavy rain, or significant dust, the laser beams can scatter, refract, or absorb some of the emitted energy. This scattering results in less accurate readings as the return signal can be interfered with, potentially leading to erroneous distance measurements or loss of target detection.

For instance, in foggy conditions, the water droplets in the air can scatter the Lidar signal, making it difficult for the sensor to accurately determine where objects are located. Similarly, rain can create a barrier that disrupts the path of the laser signal, while dust particles can both absorb and scatter the light, causing varying degrees of performance degradation based on particle size and density.

Other factors mentioned may influence Lidar performance but do not have the same direct impact on the laser's ability to accurately calculate distances and detect objects as weather-related factors do.