Open-path atmospheric transmission for a diode-pumped cesium laser

Area of Science:

• Atmospheric optics
• Laser spectroscopy
• Remote sensing

Background:

• High-energy laser (HEL) weapon systems require precise understanding of atmospheric propagation.
• Variations in atmospheric parameters significantly impact laser beam quality and effectiveness.
• Existing methods for atmospheric characterization may lack the required accuracy or resolution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) system for atmospheric parameter measurement.
• To assess the system's performance in open-path atmospheric conditions.
• To provide accurate data for HEL weapon system development and deployment.

Main Methods:

• Development of a cesium diode-pumped alkali laser operating near 895 nm.
• Utilizing water-vapor absorption lines for spectroscopic analysis.
• Deployment of the TDLAS system for 150 m and 1 km open-path measurements.
• Statistical error analysis and comparison with meteorological instruments.

Main Results:

• Accurate determination of temperature, pressure, and water vapor concentration with statistical errors of ~0.2%.
• Demonstrated agreement with meteorological instruments for a 1 km path: 0.6% for temperature, 3.7% for pressure, and 2.4% for water vapor concentration.
• Successful characterization of atmospheric conditions relevant to laser propagation.

Conclusions:

• The developed TDLAS system provides a highly accurate method for real-time atmospheric characterization.
• The system's performance is suitable for supporting the development and operational assessment of high-energy laser systems.
• This technology enhances the understanding of atmospheric effects on laser propagation.