Classification
Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI)
Distribution
Limited Distribution D: Restricted to U.S. citizens who are employees of the Department of War or its contractors. See Security information for instructions on participating in short courses with limited distribution.
Instructor
Walter Clover, Verus Research
Duration
Half-day course, runs 1300-1700
Credits awarded
2 CLPs
Course Description
The Directed Energy Test & Evaluation Capability (DETEC) has developed two software tools to facilitate High Power Microwave (HPM) testing: HPM Test Hazard Prediction (THP) Tool and the HPM Target Surrogate Material (TSM) database. This short course presents an introduction to both. Drawing from propagation codes such as RF-PROTEC and the EMPIRE Suite, THP provides the T&E community with critical tools and information to mitigate safety and hazard risks to personnel and electronics during open-air tests of HPM systems. THP's essential functions include:
- Support safety and regulatory compliance by calculating and displaying hazard boundaries
- Prepare frequency clearance applications in Standard Frequency Action Format (SFAF)
- Aid in identifying potential harmful effects to non-test site electronics
- Display specific locations or boundaries with specified field levels
In this portion of the short course, students will see the code in action while instructors discuss: Modeling the Physical Scene, Specifying Scenario Input Parameters, Understanding & Selecting Propagation Models, Graphical Visualization and Output Products, Hazard Thresholds and Hazard Zones, Standard Frequency Action Format, Basic Weather and Atmosphere Models, transferring environmental data to THP, Loading and Using HPM Electric Field Sensor Data in THP. The TSM database is a browser-based repository of information on hazardous materials as well as surrogates that can be substituted for these hazardous materials during HPM testing. The purpose of the tool is to provide the HPM T&E community with access to a database that contains information on hazardous materials, how to handle those materials during test, and commonly available materials that can be substituted for the hazardous materials. The TSM database's essential functions are to:
- Access to the electromagnetic properties of hazardous materials
- Suggestions for safe substitutes for those materials, to include electromagnetic properties
- Test Range unique restrictions on hazardous materials
- Hazardous material handling instructions, including cleanup procedures
In this portion of the short course, students will see TSM in action while instructors discuss: Finding the electromagnetic properties of a hazardous material; Finding a surrogate for the hazardous material; Making plots of material properties as a function of temperature and frequency; Entering new materials into the database; Extracting the original sources of the electromagnetic data.
DEMER
The Directed Energy Models and Effects Repository's (DEMER) was created to aid and encourage the distribution of and collaboration on directed energy (DE) modeling and simulation (M&S) tools and effects data throughout the wider DE community. An appropriate collaborative environment was established to provide for community wide discovery of DE tools and effects data which balances security with utility. The distribution format ensures owners and creators the freedom of development for, and confidence in the ownership of, their products. To reach this end, DEMER's overarching philosophy will be "Local Management, Enterprise Discovery". DEMER is a secure web-based card catalog of meta-data files describing the current M&S capabilities and effects testing efforts. Using a meta-data format favors autonomy for resource owners by only describing pertinent details of their products, without surrendering control to a centralized database. The repository also provides the capability for members and agencies to catalog and organize their M&S and effects testing products internally, only sharing with the wider community those products they deem appropriate. In this portion of the short course, students will be given a walk-through tutorial on how to register and use the DEMER database.
HPM PULSE
The High Power Microwave Procedures Leading to Standardized Effects (HPM PULSE) is a guidebook designed to standardize HPM effects testing and is meant to be used by both experienced and novice effects test personnel. It provides best practices and useful information on common aspects of HPM effects testing. The information included in HPM PULSE will aid personnel with test design and setup, as well as provide various quick reference charts, formulas, and other background information for use during the test execution. During this portion of the short course, students will receive an overview of the HPM PULSE guidebook to better understand how it can be used to aid in conducting HPM effects tests.
Intended Audience
The intended users of these HPM tools are test planners, spectrum managers, range safety personnel, test technicians or engineers, and environmental personnel involved in HPM testing.