Electromagnetic Environment Sensing/Recording System

An aircraft electromagnetic environment sensing and recording (EMESR) system is proposed which uses several optical techniques to achieve substantial savings in size, weight, power consumption, and cost over conventional EMESR system approaches. Although highly innovative, the proposed optical approaches are based upon principles and techniques already demonstrated by Mission Research Corporation. Frequency determination to the nearest microwave band is achieved in a manner which is ideally matched to the fiber optic E field sensor and which allows simultaneous detection and required identification of all signals from 100 MHz to 18 GHz which exceed a given threshold. During Phase I, details of the requirements and specifications will be determined and used together with design studies and experimental feasibility tests to trade off various approaches to each system function. Conventional, established approaches to many functions will be considered as well. The results of the trade study will be used in generating a complete design of a system to be built and demonstrated in Phase II.