Distributed Apertures in Laminar Flow Laser Turrets.
Abstract
Assume a technology that permits undistorted laser beam propagation from the aft section of a streamlined turret. A comparison of power on a distant airborne target is made between a single aperture in a large scale streamlined turret with a turbulent boundary layer and various arrays of apertures in small scale streamlined turrets with laminar flow. The array performance is mainly limited by the size of each aperture. From an array one might expect, at best, about 40 percent as much power on the target as from a single aperture with equal area. Since the turbulent boundary layer on the large single-turret has negligible effect on beam quality, the array would be preferred (if all development efforts were essentially equal) only if a laminar wake is an operational requirement. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1981
- Accession Number
- ADA110818
Entities
People
- Brian Brooks Tousley
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School