Investigation of gigawatt millimeter wave source applications. Final technical report

Technical Report · Sun Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:10130036

Bruder, J A; Belcher, M L

The Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) investigated potential applications of millimeter wave (MMW) sources with peak powers on the order of a gigawatt. This power level is representative of MMW devices such as the free electron laser (FEL) and the cyclotron auto-resonance maser (CARM) that are under development at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). In addition to determining the technical requirements for these applications, the investigation considered potential users and how a high power MMW system would expand their current capabilities. Two of the more promising applications were examined in detail to include trade-off evaluations system parameters. The trade-off evaluations included overall system configuration, frequency and coherence, component availability, and performance estimates. Brainstorming sessions were held to try and uncover additional applications for a gigawatt MMW source. In setting up guidelines for the session, the need to attempt to predict applications for the years 2000 to 2030 was stressed. Also, possible non-DoD applications needed to be considered. While some of these applications could not in themselves justify the costs involved in the development of the radar system, they could be considered potential secondary applications of the system. As a result of the sessions, a number of interesting potential applications evolved including: space object identification; low angle tracking; illuminator for space-based radar; radio astronomy; space vehicle navigation; space debris location; atmospheric research; wind shear detection; electronic countermeasures; low observable detection; and long range detection via ducting.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States); Georgia Inst. of Tech., Atlanta, GA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 10130036
• Report Number(s): UCRL-CR--109561; ON: DE92009528
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420200
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450000
ANTENNAS
ASTRONOMY
DESIGN
DETECTION
FACILITIES, EQUIPMENT, AND TECHNIQUES
FREE ELECTRON LASERS
GIGAWATT POWER RANGE
LASER POWER TRANSMISSION
MICROWAVE RADIATION
MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
PROGRESS REPORT
RADAR
RADIO TELESCOPES
SATELLITES
USES