Transcript Atmospheric Propagation of High Energy Lasers

Atmospheric Propagation of High Energy Lasers:
Modeling, Simulation, Tracking, and Control
MRI (AFOSR Grant F49620-02-01-0319)
MRI Team
UCLA: Steve Gibson, Tsu-Chin Tsao
Michigan Tech: Mike Roggemann, Tim Schulz
Georgia Tech: Allen Tannenbaum
MZA Associates Corp: Eric Magee, Matthew Whiteley
Tempest Technologies: Ben Fitzpatrick, Yun Wang
Trex Enterprises: Mikhail Belen’kii
Research Areas
• New Methods for Wave Front and Jitter Control
Adaptive Filtering and Control
Novel Wave Front Sensing
• Modeling and Simulation of Beam Propagation
Extended Turbulence
Active Illumination
Thermal Blooming
• Imaging and Tracking through Turbulence
Image Processing
Adaptive Prediction
Steve Gibson, PI
Tsu-Chin Tsao, Co-PI
Adaptive Optics (AO), Jitter Control, Target Tracking
Recent Advances and Transitions
• UCLA’s new AO methods have improved laser beam control
in the Atmospheric Simulation and Adaptive-optics
Laboratory Testbed at the Starfire Optical Range, Kirtland AFB.
• UCLA is collaborating with Teledyne Scientific Company and
AFRL, Kirtland AFB, to apply UCLA’s adaptive jitter control
algorithms to Teledyne’s prototype liquid crystal devices for
steering laser beams. This is a continuing collaboration with
Dr. Dan Herrick of AFRL and Mr. Bruce Winker, Dr. Milind
Mahajan and Dr. Bing Wen of Teledyne Scientific, which is
funded by HEL JTO.
• AO methods (UCLA) based on adaptive filtering and control
have been successful in high-fidelity ABL simulations
(ATK/Mission Research and MZA Associates) with active
illumination and tracking.
• Bayesian Tracker (Georgia Tech, Tempest Technologies)
and the new AO methods (UCLA) combined have produced
77% increase in HEL intensity on target in high-fidelity
evaluations (ATK/ Mission Research).
• UCLA’s adaptive jitter control methods will be used in a relayoptics experiment at AFRL under a Phase II SBIR to Tempest
Technologies, funded by MDA.