Abstract

The parameter of paramount importance to the propagation of an optical beam through a given medium is the absorption coefficient. For 10.6-μm beams, the absorption coefficient for dry air is established by the CO₂ population in the 001 and 100 levels. The dynamics of such an absorption coefficient are examined in terms of upper and lower CO₂ level kinetics for both V–V and V–T interactions with other atmospheric molecular constituents, the radiation field, and the temperature changes due to V–T processes. The particular case studied is a pulse length in the V–V and V–T kinetics regime.

© 1975 Optical Society of America

Transmission at λ = 10.6-μm wavelength through the upper atmosphere

D. H. Douglas-Hamilton
Appl. Opt. 17(15) 2316-2320 (1978)

Absorption of thin film materials at 10.6 μm

W. E. K. Gibbs and A. W. Butterfield
Appl. Opt. 14(12) 3043-3046 (1975)

Effects of 10.6-μ Laser Induced Air Chemistry on the Atmospheric Refractive Index

A. D. Wood, M. Camac, and E. T. Gerry
Appl. Opt. 10(8) 1877-1884 (1971)

Calorimeter to Measure the 10.6-μm Absorption of Metal Substrate Mirrors

T. T. Saito, A. B. Callender, and L. B. Simmons
Appl. Opt. 14(3) 721-725 (1975)

Instantaneous intensity distribution in a focused laser beam at 0.63 μm and 10.6 μm propagating through the atmosphere

H. Raidt and D. H. Höhn
Appl. Opt. 14(11) 2747-2749 (1975)