Laser-Extinction and High-Resolution Atmospheric Transmission Measurements Conducted at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, March 1979.

Abstract

Measurements of atmospheric transmission over a 6.4-km path were conducted in March 1979 at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), New Mexico. A deuterium fluoride (DF) laser and a high-resolution Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) system were used to generate high-quality transmission spectra of the 6.4-km path accurate to + or - 3% in absolute transmission. Details of the procedures used and results obtained in the absolute transmission calibration of the spectra are presented. Path integral values for HDO, H2O, CH4, and N2O concentrations have been derived from the spectra and results of this analysis are described. Comparisons of measured DF laser extinction coefficients with calculated molecular absorption values are presented which show very small aerosol attenuations, generally < 1/0.02 km at DF laser wavelengths. Visibilities measured at 0.55 micrometer during the course of the experiment generally averaged over 100 km. (Author)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 19, 1980
Accession Number
ADA092702

Entities

People

  • C. O. Gott
  • J. A. Curcio
  • J. A. Dowling
  • M. A. Woytko
  • S. T. Hanley

Organizations

  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accuracy
  • Barometric Pressure
  • Calibration
  • Coefficients
  • Deuterium Fluoride Lasers
  • High Resolution
  • Instrumentation
  • Integrals
  • Laser Beams
  • Lasers
  • Measurement
  • Measuring Instruments
  • Meteorological Data
  • Partial Pressure
  • Path Integrals
  • Spectra
  • Water Vapor

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Aerosol Science/Aerosol Physics
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics.
  • Molecular Photonics/Laser Physics

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Directed Energy - Lasers