Research Areas

1. Atmospheric Propagation of High Energy Lasers: Modeling, Simulation, Tracking, and ControlMRI (AFOSR Grant F49620-02-01-0319) Steve Gibson, PI Tsu-Chin Tsao, Co-PI Adaptive Optics (AO), Jitter Control, Target Tracking Recent Advances and Transitions MRI Team UCLA: Steve Gibson, Tsu-Chin Tsao Michigan Tech: Mike Roggemann, Tim Schulz Georgia Tech: Allen Tannenbaum MZA Associates Corp: Eric Magee, Matthew Whiteley Tempest Technologies: Ben Fitzpatrick, Yun Wang Trex Enterprises: Mikhail Belen’kii • UCLA’s new AO methods have improved laser beam control in the Atmospheric Simulation and Adaptive-optics Laboratory Testbed at the Starfire Optical Range, Kirtland AFB. • UCLA is collaborating with Teledyne Scientific Company and AFRL, Kirtland AFB, to apply UCLA’s adaptive jitter control algorithms to Teledyne’s prototype liquid crystal devices for steering laser beams. This is a continuing collaboration with Dr. Dan Herrick of AFRL and Mr. Bruce Winker, Dr. Milind Mahajan and Dr. Bing Wen of Teledyne Scientific, which is funded by HEL JTO. • AO methods (UCLA) based on adaptive filtering and control have been successful in high-fidelity ABL simulations (ATK/Mission Research and MZA Associates) with active illumination and tracking. • Bayesian Tracker (Georgia Tech, Tempest Technologies) and the new AO methods (UCLA) combined have produced 77% increase in HEL intensity on target in high-fidelity evaluations (ATK/ Mission Research). • UCLA’s adaptive jitter control methods will be used in a relay- optics experiment at AFRL under a Phase II SBIR to Tempest Technologies, funded by MDA. Research Areas • New Methods for Wave Front and Jitter Control Adaptive Filtering and Control Novel Wave Front Sensing • Modeling and Simulation of Beam Propagation Extended Turbulence Active Illumination Thermal Blooming • Imaging and Tracking through Turbulence Image Processing Adaptive Prediction