Return Wave Analysis in a Thermally Bloomed Medium

摘要

A computer code was developed to perform a geometrical ray trace of a light ray from a target plane to a receiver plane via a thermally bloomed medium. Thermal blooming was modeled using a computer code from the Air Force Weapons Laboratory called PROPMD. Ray traces were done for various degrees of thermal blooming, and Strehl ratios were made for each situation. Also, contour plots of the ray optical path deviations across the receiver plane were made. Results showed that a ray's direction of propagation was virtually unaffected by refraction. Disturbance of the ray was due totally to the effect of thermal blooming on the optical path length of the ray. In severe blooming situations, calculated Strehl ratios were less than 0.1. However, limiting the size of the high-energy beam grid led to improved Strehl ratios. (Author)