The Chesapeake Bay Detachment of the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL-CBD) provides an ideal environment for characterizing the effects of the marine atmosphere on free space optical communication links. The site has recently been converted to an operational 10 mile (16.2 km) one-way test range to collect information on propagation statistics in a variety of atmospheric conditions. The results presented here compare the contributions of thermal gradients across the bay to ...
The Naval Research Lab (NRL) is currently operating a lasercom test facility (LCTF) across the Chesaepeake Bay between NRL's Chesapeake Bay Detachment (NRL-CBD) and NRL-Tilghman Island. This lasercom test facility has successfully demonstrated 32 km retro-reflected links at data rates up to 2.5 Gbps. Along with lasercom link studies, atmospheric characterization of the NRL-CBD to Tilghman Island optical path has been investigated. These studies range from passive optical turbulence monitoring ...
NRL has established a 20 mile round trip laser communication test facility across the Chesapeake Bay for investigating lasercomm performance in a maritime environment. Experiments at this facility have successfully demonstrated links at data rates up to 2.5 Gbps and at lower rates in light rain and fog. This facility is currently being upgraded to allow long term monitoring of a one-way 10 mile link across the Bay. Parameters monitored ...
The Naval Research Laboratory has established a lasercom test bed across the Chesapeake Bay. The test bed uses a bi-static transmitter/receiver arrangement on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay and various configurations of 5 cm retro-reflectors on the eastern shore to produce a 32 km retro-reflected lasercom test range. Experiments measuring the laser's transverse spatial profile after propagation over the test range have been performed. These experiments use an ...