An integral model for thermal backscattering from the exhaust plume of space-based HF laser

Abstract

The operation of a space-based HF laser may be hampered due to self contamination by corrosive exhaust products. We estimate one effect contributing to contaminating blackflow: thermal backscattering from the rarefaction fans flanking the exhaust ring-jet. Our computational model is based on a first-iterate approximation to the Boltzmann equation in integral form. Results indicate that thermal backscattering of corrosive speies (HF, DF) is negligible.