Applications that utilize the observables produced by high-energy laser interactions with targets

The interaction of a laser beam with a target produces transient observables that can be measured and interpreted to yield important information about the interaction and the target. It is found that for interaction monitoring, standard infrared radiometry can provide adequate assessment information in the thermal effects regime and specified events at the target (eg, melt, burnthrough) can be detected. Also, for the induced observable class of applications, remote observation of surface radiance decay, subsequent to heating by laser irradiation, can determine thermal mass. Finally, it is noted that high energy pulsed lasers can produce observable velocity perturbations in target motion by which the mass can be determined using doppler ladar.