Detection of High-Altitude Missile Exhaust Plumes at Submillimeter Wavelengths

Abstract

Studies are described of the detectability of low-thrust, high- altitude rocket motor plumes based on observation of their optical properties at submillimeter wavelengths. The report describes the physical and optical model for a high-altitude plume. The model includes a first approximation for the effects of interaction with a tenuous atmosphere. Results are presented for plume signature and its dependence on motor and plume parameters and on viewed- scene variables. A signal-to-noise calculation is presented.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 01, 1982
Accession Number
ADA122888

Entities

People

  • Glenn C. Light
  • Paul F. Zittel

Organizations

  • The Aerospace Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Sensors
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Altitude
  • Atmospheric Properties
  • Background Radiation
  • Detection
  • Detectors
  • Diffraction
  • Doppler Effect
  • Geometry
  • Gravity Waves
  • High Altitude
  • Mesopause
  • Optical Properties
  • Radiation
  • Rocket Engines
  • Spectra
  • Transitions
  • Water Vapor

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Aerospace Propulsion Engineering.
  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Spectroscopy.