SODAR (
SOnic Detection And Ranging), also written as
sodar, is a meteorological instrument used as a
wind profiler to measure the scattering of sound waves by atmospheric turbulence. SODAR systems are used to measure wind speed at various heights above the ground, ae thermodynamic structure of the lower layer of the
atmosphere. Sodar systems are like
radar (radio detection and ranging) and
lidar (light radar) systems except that
sound waves rather than
radio or
light waves are used for detection. Other names used for sodar systems include sounder, echosounder and acoustic radar.