Propagation Characteristics of Infrared Pulse Waves through Windblown Sand and Dust Atmosphere

The physics characteristics of the windblown sand and dust atmosphere at the sand bench of Yellow River in China are discussed. The pulse distortion and time delay of infrared nanosecond pulse propagating through the atmosphere having sand and dust particles are investigated at 1.06 and 3.8 μm, respectively. It is shown that the delay of 10 ns laser pulse propagating through 5 km windblown sand and dust atmosphere are over 1 ns and 10 ns at 1.06 and 3.8 μm, respectively. The pulse spread increases slightly with wavelength increase. The pulse spread of a 10 ns laser pulse is over 40 ns at 3.8 μm. The pulse delay and spread increase rapidly with the sand particle density increasing in atmosphere. The narrower the pulse width is, the more the pulse distortion is. Hence, at infrared band, for a laser pulse propagating in sand and dust atmosphere, the pulse delay and spread are quite severe and need be taken into account for a narrower pulse laser system.