Characterizing high-altitude horizontal path optical propagation

Darrell E. Spreen; Charles Barry Hogge

doi:10.1117/12.177681

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8 June 1994 Characterizing high-altitude horizontal path optical propagation

Darrell E. Spreen, Charles Barry Hogge

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Proceedings Volume 2120, Laser Beam Propagation and Control; (1994) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.177681
Event: OE/LASE '94, 1994, Los Angeles, CA, United States

Abstract

The high-energy airborne laser system must be able to effectively propagate a short- wavelength (near IR) laser beam over long path lengths at high altitude to be effective in the Theater Missile Defense mission. High-altitude atmospheric turbulence along these very long paths can have a potentially serious degrading effect on laser propagation. Adaptive optical systems design to compensate for the atmospherically induced aberrations are predicted to provide effective compensation to meet mission requirements. A program has been designed to characterize the relevant optical properties of the upper atmosphere and to conduct key experiments to confirm the feasibility of phase-only adaptive optics for this application

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Darrell E. Spreen and Charles Barry Hogge "Characterizing high-altitude horizontal path optical propagation", Proc. SPIE 2120, Laser Beam Propagation and Control, (8 June 1994); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.177681

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