Methods for Prediction of Atmospheric Effects on Laser Guidance Systems

Abstract

This report describes mathematical models which predict effects of atmospheric turbulence, molecular absorption and scattering, aerosol absorption and scattering, and radiative transport. Turbulence-induced angle-of-arrival fluctuations of a laser target designator are formulated to permit calculation of the fluctuation power spectrum. A numerical procedure employing the fast Fourier transform is used to convert the frequency-dependent power spectrum into the time domain giving angular beam wander. A separate computation gives the angular beamspread due to atmospheric turbulence. Descriptions of other models to determine molecular line absorption and aerosol absorption and scattering are also given. Models developed during this effort also provide first-order radiative transfer predictions and a multiple scattering model using Monte Carlo predictions. Utilization instructions are included for each of the models.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 15, 1977
Accession Number
ADA051617

Entities

People

  • J. Q. Lilly

Organizations

  • United States Army Aviation and Missile Command

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Atmospheric Motion
  • Atmospheric Sciences
  • Diffraction
  • Electromagnetic Radiation
  • Fast Fourier Transforms
  • Guidance
  • Laser Guidance
  • Laser Target Designators
  • Laser Targets
  • New Mexico
  • Power Spectra
  • Radiative Transfer
  • Refraction
  • Refractive Index
  • Scattering
  • Target Designators
  • Wind

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Aerosol Science/Aerosol Physics
  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Optical Physics and Photonics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Directed Energy - Lasers