Date of Award

3-10-2010

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Department of Engineering Physics

First Advisor

Steven T. Fiorino, PhD.

Abstract

The High Energy Laser End-to-End Operational Simulation (HELEEOS) off-axis scattering algorithm is designed to predict the irradiance that will be detected at a given off-axis location due to atmospheric scattering of a high-energy laser. The HELEEOS system models the propagation of the laser through the atmosphere, accounting for such effects as turbulence, thermal blooming, and atmospheric absorption. The HELEEOS off-axis scattering algorithm uses the scattering phase functions of the Mie scattering models to predict the amount of radiation that will be scattered toward a particular observation location from each point along the beam path, and the total irradiance that will be received at that location. Algorithm outputs were compared with data from a laser test conducted at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base using 1.53-1.59 μm communications lasers operating at 0.6 W of power. The off-axis irradiance was measured using an Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs) camera. A software application was developed to assist in camera calibration and the analysis of the collected images. The application was used to reduce the data from each image to a single irradiance value which could be compared with HELEEOS predictions. Preliminary results show an agreement within 1-2 orders of magnitude between the HELEEOS algorithm and the measured off-axis irradiance, although the potential exists for improving this result through more detailed analysis of the same data set.

AFIT Designator

AFIT-GAP-ENP-10-M07

DTIC Accession Number

ADA516782

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