Coherent Laser Radar Target Signature (CLRTS)

A Coherent Laser Radar Target Signature (CLRTS) simulation is proposed that provides the laser wavefront to the receiver aperture. The objective is to provide the spatial and temporal description of the wavefront (amplitude and phase) at the coherent laser radar receiver for HWIL simulation. This is a direct extension of Aero Optics' MDA Phase II SBIR Target End-to-End Signature Simulation (TESS) program to include coherent illumination and reflection. Body description, material optical properties, body dynamics, environments, reflections, and sensor imaging are components already available in TESS. The proposed wavefront simulation includes the transmitter wave spatial and temporal features (waveform), two-way propagation accounting for diffraction, turbulent fluctuations and atmospheric attenuation. A model for target reflection includes both glint and speckle. All these effects are convolved to provide the wavefront incident at the receiver. An important task is to demonstrate the application of graphics programming to the wavefront simulation. Phase I develops and demonstrates the propagation and target interaction models for multiple environments and targets. The feasibility of wavefront simulation with graphics programming will be demonstrated through numerical experiments. Phase II extends the wavefront simulation to other bodies, debris, and plumes in a real-time signature code. The real-time wavefront simulation will be demonstrated on graphics hardware.