TAU TECHNOLOGIES LLC — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: A20-032

Description

As the Army continues to move laser weapon systems (LWS) out of development and into the field there is a need for local atmospheric turbulence profiling to predict LWS performance and effectiveness in the use of these weapons.  Volumetric 3D turbulence profiler systems require a single-ended measurement device.  Commercially available atmospheric turbulence profilers are either double-ended systems or require a down-range target board or beacon source.  Thus, these systems are not suitable in a real-world operational scenario. Tau Technologies has developed a unique range resolved profiler system design that generates a guide star “beacon” at various ranges from the instrument using a range-gated pulsed laser.  Therefore, the instrument can be operated using a single-ended system design so that range resolved turbulence profiles can be directly measured over any line-of-sight without the need to place a source down-range.  Using this technology, a 3D turbulence map can be determined for optimizing LWS emplacement and operation.  Because of previous work in the modeling and system design for a single-ended profiler, we are exceptionally well positioned to transition our innovative approach to the unique needs of the Army for 3D volumetric atmospheric turbulence profiler systems.  In addition, Tau Technologies experience in various artificial intelligence methods allows for turbulence forecasting.  This is accomplished by using past measurements to train various adaptive machine learning algorithms so that accurate turbulence profiles can be predicted from the forecasted meteorological conditions.