title: Open-path atmospheric transmission for a diode-pumped cesium laser.
abstract: A tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy device was developed to study atmospheric propagation for emerging high-energy laser weapons. The cesium diode-pumped alkali laser operates near 895 nm in the vicinity of several water-vapor absorption lines. Temperature, pressure, and water vapor concentration were determined for 150 m and 1 km open paths with statistical errors of ∼0.2%. Comparison with meteorological instruments yields agreement for the 1 km path to within 0.6% for temperature, 3.7% for pressure, and 2.4% for concentration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Engineering Physics, Air Force Institute of Technology, 2950 Hobson Way, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH 45433, USA. crice@afit.edu
authors.forename: Christopher A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: Gordon E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Lott
authors.forename: Glen P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Perram