title: Transmission at lambda = 10.6-mum wavelength through the upper atmosphere.
abstract: An analytic model of atmospheric bleaching at 10.6 umicrom is derived from analysis of the kinetic equations for the CO(2)-N(2)-H(2)O system. The case of upward-directed CO(2) laser beams is of particular interest, and values of local absorptance and total absorption integrated along beam path are given. At intensities 10(6)-10(7) W cm(-2) thermal blooming of the laser beam is greatly reduced due to bleached absorption.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Douglas-Hamilton