Analytical review of existing and perspective broadband coherent light sources is presented through point of view of distant laser sounding of environment and Earth atmosphere. A swift development of technology of fiber laser and amplifiers manufacture is marked. It is suggested that fiber techniques will take a leading position in creation of lidar systems, essentially in manufacture of spaceborne lidars. The development of algorithms, methodology, and software for processing sounding data, received with lasers, based on a broadband coherent sources, became an important task.
fiber-glass optics; wide-band radiation; laser sensing