The Scintec SLS40 Scintillometer measures turbulence, heat flux and momentum flux by purely optical means. In combination with other meteorological sensors the system can determine latent heat flux or evaporation.

The SLS40 is specifically designed for operation on towers or other platforms prone to vibration. Vibration effects are compensated by using the signal of four instead of two optical detectors.

Each SLS Series Scintillometer consists of a laser transmitter pointing at a receiver. Temperature fluctuations in the air cause variations of the light intensity captured at the receiver. The scintillometer evaluates such variations to yield turbulence information.

The line averaging over the optical path results in spatially representative data and outstanding temporal resolution – a critical edge over data collected from conventional point sensors. The scintillometer provides high sensitivity and accuracy – without mechanical flow distortion or any moving part.

The proprietary displaced-beam technique of the SLS Series Scintillometers opens up access to mechanical turbulence quantities (momentum flux, kinetic-energy dissipation rate) without need to feed in any external wind data.