Nonlinear power attenuation of the radiation of a pulsed CO2 laser in the atmosphere near the ground

Conclusion Thus, as a result of the natural investigations performed on the propagation of short (microsecond) pulses of CO₂ laser radiation in the near-ground atmosphere, quantitative data are obtained on the nonlinear power attenuation of powerful radiation by the atmosphere in the range of energy densities w = 3–18 J/cm² as a function of the meteorological conditions and the turbulent state of the atmosphere. It has been shown that the principal mechanism of nonlinearity of the medium along a 100–250 m path is the origin of low-threshold optical breakdown centers on solid aerosol particles. The initiation conditions and the main characteristics of an extended laser flash in the atmosphere have been investigated.Future work of interest is to obtain statistically justified dependences of the nonlinear power attenuation and distortions of the structure of beams of powerful pulsed radiation along extended paths on the basic opticometeorological parameters of the state of the atmosphere.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 2, pp. 5–13, February, 1983.