The Wesleyan University Research Effort for: Waveform Shaping Techniques for Targeted Electromagnetic Attacks
Abstract
The prospect of utilizing electromagnetic radiation in order to efficiently target anddestroy sensitive electronic circuit elements has been intensely pursued during the last few years. As a result, a new class of weapons ~ directed energy weapons (DEWs) ~ emerged as an alternative to traditional lethal (kinetic) weapons. DEWs are highly advantageous since they can potentially provide non-lethal attacks at the speed of light, precise targeting, rapid engagement of multiple targets, adjustable damage capacity, and low operational cost. Along these lines, researchers have proposed the possibility to utilize time-reversal (TR) techniques in order to judiciously prepare waveforms that damage or upset sensitive digital electronics embedded in complex enclosures. This proposal is extremely efficient in case of static environment where the scattering matrix S uniquely defines the target. In typical circumstances, however, the targets are inside complicated enclosures (e.g. computer box, reverberation chamber, aircraft fuselage) and the associated S ~matrix demonstrates an extreme sensitivity to the exact geometry of the enclosure, the location of the electronic targets, the operating frequency etc. Therefore, any effort to realize waveforms with 100% targeting efficiency is meaningless. For this reason, it is imperative to develop statistical protocols and algorithms for the design of TR waveforms with enhanced probability to damagetargets inside complex enclosures. These techniques shall use a minimal amount of information about the exact geometry of a complex enclosure while at the same time they shall utilize the universal statistical features of the scattering matrix describing such complex enclosures. The prime objective of the proposed research is (a) to develop, based on TR-symmetry principles, novel theoretical tools and computational algorithms for the statistical design of Waveforms with Enhanced TArgeting Capabilities (WETAC) of (multiple) electronic targets that are located anywhere inside a complicated (chaotic) enclosure (Kottos/Wesleyan); (b) implement experimentally and demonstrate the efficiency of these computational algorithms (Anlage/UMD) and (c) develop assessment strategies that quantify the electronic damage induced by the WETAC schemes to sensitive electronic equipments (Drikas/NRL). To carry out this study an interdisciplinary team has been assembled that is composed of scientists and engineers with specific roles and complementary talents. Our needs will range from theoretical principles to experimental aspects of non-linear dynamics and wave chaos, from system fabrication and computational electromagnetism and modeling to new instrumentation for experimental waveform shaping and for pre- and after-interrogation strategies for electronic battle damage assessment (eBDA). At all times, these activities will be strongly intertwined, with theory suggesting possibilities and experiments providing the necessary feedback. The proposed activity shall forge a new generation of undergraduate and graduate students in methods of statistical electrodynamics and shall prepare them to drive the advancement of ONR DE/CDEW program.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 15, 2019
- Source ID
- N000141912480
Entities
People
- Tsampikos Kottos
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- Wesleyan University