Turbulence effects on high energy laser beam propagation in the atmosphere.
A simple phenomenological model for the interaction of a high energy laser (HEL) beam with atmospheric turbulence is presented. According to this model the temperature power spectrum becomes non-Kolmogorov. The refractive index structure constant C(2)(n) is replaced by another quantity C(2)(n,eff) which is space dependent, C(2)(n,eff) = C(2)(n) (1 + mid R:nablaT/ partial differentialtheta / partial differentialzmid R:(2)) (provided ( partial differentialtheta )/( partial differentialz) not equal 0). Here DeltaT is the local temperature gradient in the crosswind direction, while ( partial differentialtheta )/( partial differentialz) is the vertical potential temperature gradient in the atmosphere. Numerical simulations of HEL beam propagation were performed including effects of this model. Implications of the results are discussed.
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