Laser beam degradation through turbulent interfaces
Abstract
There are numerous circumstances in gas laser technology where beams propagate through turbulent interfaces produced by laser aerodynamic window flows. This paper extends the understanding of the relationship between the structure of the turbulent shear region within the interface and the amount of beam degradation through the interface. Light transmission experiments for several turbulent interface configurations under velocity shear and velocity matched circumstances are reported. Interferometric data are utilized to determine beam degradation and shear-region characteristics. A self-similar turbulence model developed for the uncommon velocity-matched case compares well with experimental data.
- Publication:
-
AIAA, Aerospace Sciences Meeting
- Pub Date:
- January 1978
- Bibcode:
- 1978aiaa.meetS....L
- Keywords:
-
- Gas Lasers;
- Laser Outputs;
- Light Beams;
- Light Transmission;
- Turbulent Boundary Layer;
- Wave Degradation;
- Boundary Layer Transition;
- Gas Flow;
- Laser Windows;
- Mach-Zehnder Interferometers;
- Shear Flow;
- Similarity Theorem;
- Turbulence Models;
- Turbulent Diffusion;
- Lasers and Masers