Airborne Laser Beam Propagation Measurements of High-Altitude Atmospheric Turbulence.
Abstract
Two NC-135 jet aircraft were used in an airborne laser beam scintillation experiment in order to measure high-altitude values of the index of refraction structure. Measurements were made for transmitter-receiver spacings of 0.5, 1.5, 2.0, and 3.0 km. Altitude values ranged from 1.5 km to 10.5 km in approximately 1.5 km increments. Measurements were made at optical wavelengths of 0.6328 micrometers and 10.6 micrometers. Computed scintillation parameters include log-intensity variance, probability distribution function, cumulative probability, and temporal power spectral density. Measured values of index of refraction structure were consistently higher than expected at high altitudes. Some contributions to the measured values of index of refraction structure may have come from boundary layer turbulence near the transmitting aircraft. However, this contribution is small. On the average, the upper atmosphere is much more turbulent than current models predict it to be.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1972
- Accession Number
- AD0903327
Entities
People
- Glen J. Morris