Systems for Study of Propagation of CO2 Laser Radiations through Clouds.

摘要

This report describes the design, and progress toward the construction, of systems required for the study of the propagation of 10.6 micrometers radiation from CO2 lasers (both high power pulsed and cw) through clouds, both laboratory generated and natural. The laboratory experiments of highest priority are the study of non-linear attenuation of high power TEA laser pulses (of order 10 J/sq. cm.) through optically thick clouds produced by adiabatic expansion with particular attention to change of pulse shape, and measurements of backscatter. The systems required for these experiments are nearing completion. The field experiments are the study of attenuation, beam quality and backscatter of TEA laser pulses and cw radiation over a return path of the order of 1 km. The systems required are under construction. All lasers and also the transmissometer have been developed within the group. (Author)