Laser radar analyses

The analyses developed in a previous study (Laser Radar Analyses MDC Q0714, 15 July 1980) are modified and extended to the case of a Cassegrain laser radar receiver. A flexible computer code (LADAR) is documented that permits calculations of the degradation in heterodyne efficiency of a laser radar system that result from phase front distortions produced by target speckle effects and atmospheric turbulence. Illustrative calculations are provided to demonstrate the effects of atmospheric turbulence (for both circular aperture and Cassegrain receivers), and target speckle (conical targets and simulated aircraft are treated) on heterodyne efficiency. Efficiency calculations are also provided for a suggested test panel target to demonstrate the feasibility of using a test configuration to verify the predictions of the efficiency analyses and LADAR computer code.