Collateral Damage Effects of Directed Energy Weapons

Abstract

Directed Energy Weapons are highly sought new weapons, whose potential to change the battle field is great, but their unintended consequences are poorly understood. This research uses atmospheric and mathematic models to capture and quantify potential collateral damage. The atmospheric models capture humidity, particulate, turbulence and blooming effects to the target and capture humidity, particulate and blooming effects leaving the target. The mathematic models capture Gaussian divergence and combine all the models with a specific frequency and power source to determine specular energy quantities leaving a target as potential collateral damage. The specular energy is compared with American National Standards Institute (ANSI) ocular damage and skin burn data to determine collateral damage ranges.