Compact Laser Based ReEntry Plasma Diagnostics System

ABSTRACT: In this program, we will build and test a compact, multifunctional laser based plasma optical analyzer to characterize the interaction between a laser and the plasma sheath that envelopes air vehicles during hypersonic air travel in the Earth"s atmosphere. The analyzer will quantify the effects of the plasma on the direction, phase, intensity, polarization and scattering of an incident laser beam. The plasma sheath will be simulated in the laboratory using a DC arcjet air plasma system. BENEFIT: The principal near term military application for a laser based plasma diagnostic optical analyzer is for hypersonic air travel development efforts endeavoring to solve the communications blackout problem. The optical analyzer developed in this program will improve our understanding of the effects air plasmas induce on laser beams thereby accelerating technical progress for a solution to the blackout problem. This analyzer, therefore, will reduce the time for hypersonic air travel to be realized.