Toward Adaptive Optic Mitigation of Aero-Optic Effects
Abstract
This report describes aero-optic research at the University of Notre Dame. When a laser beam propagates through a variable-index-of-refraction, turbulent fluid, its wavefront becomes aberrated, reducing associated optical-system performance. For flight Mach numbers as low as 0.3 Mach, turbulence in the flow past the aircraft become important in aberrating wavefronts (aero-optics). This report briefly reviews the mechanisms responsible for these aberrations in free-shear-layer flows. The report begins with describing an historic demonstration performed under this effort that combined the use of flow control and feed-forward adaptive optics to correct the aberrations imposed on an otherwise collimated laser beam projected through a heated jet and a Mach 0.8 free shear layer, respectively; this historic demonstration included a man in the loop. The report then describes the development of an automated control system that removes the man in the loop. Also described is some additional work performed under this grant that examined a spatial-filter approach to analyzing the effect of apertures on several aspects of laser-beam control.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 27, 2009
- Accession Number
- ADA501712
Entities
People
- Eric J. Jumper
Organizations
- University of Notre Dame