The Effects of High-Altitude Nuclear Bursts on Space-Based Laser Propagation; AD-B094 663 DNA-TR-84-164

DTIC Reprint. 26 pages. References. Forrest R. Gilmore worked for RAND from the mid-1950s into the mid-1960s before joining with R&D Associates. Tjiaw-Khim Tio was previously associated with the University of California at San Diego. At the time prepared, the distribution of this work was limited to US Government Agencies and Contractors for Administrative/Operational Use. Given the passage of time and advances in scientific knowledge and technology, this limitation is understood to no longer apply. This work was sponsored by the Defense Nuclear Agency. The possible effects of nuclear bursts above 50 km on laser beam propagation in the upper atmosphere were investigated. These effects include absorption, scattering, refraction and emission by the nuclear-disturbed atmosphere. It was concluded that in some situations serious absorption could last for many minutes for laser beams in the near ultraviolet, violet, blue or green, but this is less probable in the red or infrared. Scattering is generally negligible. Refraction (by fireballs and shock waves) is usually less than a microradian. Emission effects on noise levels (for communication and tracking systems) depend on system details, but probably the emissions can be adequately filtered out.…