Distortion and Delay of Laser Pulse Propagation in Sand and Dust Storm

The pulse distortion and time delay of laser nanosecond pulse propagating through the atmosphere including sand and dust storm layer are investigated mainly at 0.69 and 3.8 mum, respectively. It is shown that the delay of 10ns laser pulse propagating through 5km sand and dust storm with N_o = 1.630 x 10⁵ / m3 are about Ins and 10 ns, at 0.69 and 3.8 mum, respectively. The pulse spread of a 10 ns laser pulse is over 40 ns at 3.8 mum. 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, for a laser pulse propagating in sand and dust atmosphere, the pulse delay and distortion are quite severe and need be taken into account for a narrower pulse laser system.