INFRARED DECOY SPECTRAL SIGNATURE MODIFICATION

PRESENT INFRARED DECOYS FOR PROTECTION OF NAVY SHIPS ARE RELIABLE, HIGH INTENSITY COMBUSTION SOURCES. HOWEVER, THEIR EMISSION SPECTRA HAVE CHARACTERISTICS WHICH ALLOW THEM TO BE DISTINGUISHED FROM THE SHIPS THEY ARE INTENDED TO PROTECT. IT IS DESIRABLE TO DEVELOP MODIFIED FUELS WHOSE COMBUSTION WOULD PRODUCE INFRARED SIGNATURES WITH THE APPROPRIATE SPECTRAL PROPERTIES. THIS GOAL REQUIRES A DETAILED UNDERSTANDING OF THE RADIATION MECHANISMS INVOLVED, AND A SYSTEMATIC METHOD OF SELECTING THE MOST PROMISING FUEL FORMULATIONS. IN THIS PROPOSAL, A DETAILED COMPUTER MODEL OF DECOY RADIATION IS OUTLINES. THE PROGRAM INCLUDES MODEL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH DATA ANALYSIS AND MODIFICATION OF EXISTING COMPUTER CODES, COUPLED WITH A STUDY TO YIELD NEW FIELD IDEAS FOLLOWED BY EVALUATION USING THE MODEL.