The Refractive Effects of Laser Propagation through the Ocean Surface and within the Ocean

Abstract

This thesis investigates the effect of the ocean water attenuation on a laser beam fired upward inside the ocean. The laser beam spreading due to scattering is approximated. The method used is a computer Monte Carlo simulation. Angular spreading of light caused by refraction at the sea surface is also studied and compared with the ocean results. The method is to simulate geometrical light rays passing through a randomly realized ocean surface wave model and derive statistics of the angular refraction. The results of this work can be used for detection of objects in the water and laser communication to submerged objects from an airborne or space platform.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 2009
Accession Number
ADA514410

Entities

People

  • Pavlos Xiradakis

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Absorption Coefficients
  • Computer Simulations
  • Geometry
  • Laser Beams
  • Laser Communications
  • Mathematical Models
  • Monte Carlo Method
  • Optical Properties
  • Optics
  • Radiation
  • Refraction
  • Refractive Index
  • Scattering
  • Simulations
  • Surface Waves
  • Two Dimensional
  • Waves

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Acoustical Oceanography.
  • Optical Physics and Photonics.
  • Wave Propagation and Nonlinear Chaotic Dynamics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Space