Evaluation of tilt for a high-altitude horizontal path

Paul H. Merritt; Robert Russell Butts

doi:10.1117/12.210430

26 May 1995 Evaluation of tilt for a high-altitude horizontal path

Paul H. Merritt, Robert Russell Butts

Proceedings Volume 2468, Acquisition, Tracking, and Pointing IX; (1995) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.210430
Event: SPIE's 1995 Symposium on OE/Aerospace Sensing and Dual Use Photonics, 1995, Orlando, FL, United States

Abstract

A high priority Air Force interest is to understand the tilt (or jitter) induced by atmospheric turbulence on a laser beam propagated over a high altitude long horizontal path. This will aide in the design of the pointing and tracking systems such as used for communication systems and laser beam propagation. The Phillips Laboratory has undertaken a technology program to simulate, measure, and evaluate the implications of this high altitude tilt. This paper includes 3 related efforts; a simulation that predicts high altitude tilt using present knowledge of the atmosphere, a flight measurements program that is gathering data at high altitude, and a simulation effort to understand the implications on a pointing and tracking system of this high altitude tilt. The simulation is a ray trace code that has been developed at the Phillips Laboratory over the past 15 years and has been anchored using available data. Until recently this simulation had not include high altitude horizontal propagation data. However, the Phillips Laboratory has recently completed a high altitude measurement of scintillation and a temperature probe measurement effort to measure the atmospheric structure. This information has been included in the simulations. A controls simulation is used to evaluate the requirements for bandwidths and controls design and utilizes the disturbance data produced by the atmospheric simulation.

Citation Download Citation

Paul H. Merritt and Robert Russell Butts "Evaluation of tilt for a high-altitude horizontal path", Proc. SPIE 2468, Acquisition, Tracking, and Pointing IX, (26 May 1995); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.210430

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available