BALLISTIC RANGE INSTRUMENTATION EMPLOYING HOLOGRAPHIC SENSORS

THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEVELOP A NEW CLASS OF SENSORS FOR BALLISTIC RANGES AND WIND TUNNELS CALLED "HOLOGRAPHIC SENSORS". THE RESEARCH WILL FIND WAYS TO MAKE HOLOGRAPHIC SENSORS FOR A VARIETY OF AERODYNAMIC PROPERTIES INCLUDING BOUNDARY LAYER TRANSITION, VELOCITY IN THE BOUNDARY LAYER, TEMPERATURE OF THE MODEL SURFACE, SKIN FRICTION, PRESSURE AT THE MODEL, MODEL DEFLECTION AND STRAIN, AND OTHER RELATED PARAMETERS. THE PROPOSED WORK WILL SHOW HOW THE DIFFRACTION PROPERTIES OF THE ELEMENTS CAN BE MADE SENSITIVE TO EACH OF THESE PROPERTIES. A HOLOGRAPHIC SENSOR IS A THIN PATCH OF MATERIAL THAT IS COATED OR ETCHED ONTO AN AERODYNAMIC SURFACE IN SUCH A MANNER THAT WHEN ADDRESSED BY AN IMPINGING LASER BEAM, THE DIFFRACTED LIGHT IS CODED WITH INFORMATION OF INTEREST. THAT IS, THE SENSOR IS STORED IN A HOLOGRAM OR HOLOGRAPHIC OPTICAL ELEMENT. IF SUCCESSFUL, THIS RESEARCH COULD CREATE AN ENTIRE NEW FIELD OF INSTRUMENTATION THAT COULD SOMETIMES OUTPERFORM OTHER SENSORS SUCH AS HOTWIRE, AND FILMS, PITOT PROBES, THERMOCOUPLES, AND VELOCIMETERS. A PRODUCT IS ANTICIPATED THAT COULD HAVE EXTREMELY WIDE COMMERCIAL APPLICATION.