Strong Self-Induced Distortion of a Laser Beam in a Longitudinal Gas Flow

Abstract

A method for the approximate description of the propagation of an intense optical beam using mean transverse dimensions and displacements of the center of gravity is extended to longitudinal gas flows past a laser beam. The problem is reduced to integrodifferential equations for the mean radii. Solution of the aero-optic equations are obtained for strong self-induced thermal distortion of the vertical beam under conditions of developed gravitational convection and for strong self-induced thermal distortion of the beam in a longitudinal homogeneous gas flow, including at high supersonic velocities. It is shown that the results obtained are in satisfactory agreement with the numerical solutions. An analytic solution in quadratures is obtained for a plane beam in a longitudinal stream.