Inflight ice detection system

摘要

A dual channel inflight ice detection system to detect ice accretion on an aircraft surface by illuminating an ice collecting surface mounted on an aircraft with linear polarized light. The backscattered light is acquired in two light conductors one with polarization sensitivity aligned to the transmitted light and the second with polarization sensitivity orthogonal to the first. The presence of ice is determined by the change in the ratio of light intensities in the two light conductors.