Laser transmisison through simulated cirrus clouds by one-layer and multiple layer propagation models

Cirrus clouds regularly cover approximately 20% of the globe. These clouds have strong optical effects that can be impenetrable to an airborne or spaceborne laser system. Thin cirrus clouds, in particular, are often difficult for an operator to visibly see and therefore avoid. Simulated cirrus cloud data generated by the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS) is used as input into two laser transmission models. These models offer laser transmission values through a 1-D homogeneous cloud layer and multiple homogeneous cloud layers. Results from the two models are examined and compared for a realistic cloud case modeled from data collected during a field campaign on 26 November 1991.