Effects on Electromagnetic Wave Propagation and Rocket Vapor Trails of Intense Turbulence Generated by Breaking Internal Gravity Waves

This work aims to investigate the effects on laser propagation of turbulence produced by breaking internal gravity waves in the mesosphere. At the time of this writing the major parameter, C sub n sq., needed for this investigation has been computed for a representative case. The case is a narrow- band wave generated at the ground and propagating upward breaking eventually occurs over altitudes from less than 40 to greater than 93 kilometers, the upper limit of the calculation. The calculation itself, if not strictly from first principles, involves only a relatively small amount of approximation to the Navier-Stokes equations, both for the wave motion and the turbulence. The evolution of C sub n sq. is followed from its inception in the breaking part of the wave phase, its growth in magnitude and coalescence across the phases, to its subsequent decay as the turbulence dies away. Peak values of about 10 to the - 17th powerm to the 23 power are observed in C sub n sq. With these results, effects such as variance in intensity and phase, beam spread and beam wander may be computed.