APL Research and Development
Volume 32, Number 5 (2014)
This issue highlights the diversity of APL's contributions to national and global challenges. The issue begins by discussing APL's role as the independent test and evaluation agent for an unmanned underwater vehicle family of systems, components of which have been fielded by the U.S. Navy. The second article provides an introduction to the physics of fission chains and their detection, of vital importance should a nuclear response team locate a potential nuclear object. The next article describes a process for balancing conflicts among missile system performance goals, engagement support capabilities, and technology constraints. The fourth article details a semiempirical model for leaves as a step toward improving Earth's land characterization and removing radiative effects. The final article highlights a technique for determining the atmosphere's trace gas composition, which has broad applications for measuring gases globally. The issue concludes with a summary of APL's Technical Achievement Awards and this year's winners.
Unmanned Underwater Vehicle Independent Test and EvaluationWilliam P. Ervin, J. Patrick Madden, and George W. Pollitt |
Neutrons: It Is All in the Timing—The Physics of Nuclear Fission Chains and Their DetectionWilliam A. Noonan |
Missile Concept Optimization for Ballistic Missile DefenseAlan J. Pue, Richard J. Hildebrand, Daniel E. Clemens, Jonah R. Gottlieb, James M. Bielefeld, and Timothy C. Miller |
Improving Earth Background Characterization Through Modeling and Measurements of Leaf Bidirectional ReflectivityShadrian B. Strong, Michael E. Thomas, Andrea M. Brown, and Elena Y. Adams |
The MSX/UVISI Stellar Occultation Experiments: Proof-of-Concept Demonstration of a New Approach to Remote Sensing of Earth's AtmosphereRonald J. Vervack Jr., Jeng-Hwa Yee, William H. Swartz, Robert DeMajistre, and Larry J. Paxton |
SPECIAL FEATUREAPL Achievement Awards and PrizesLinda L. Maier-Tyler |