Geometrical optics analysis of atmospheric turbulence

Chensheng Wu; Christopher C. Davis

doi:10.1117/12.2025913

25 September 2013 Geometrical optics analysis of atmospheric turbulence

Chensheng Wu, Christopher C. Davis

Proceedings Volume 8874, Laser Communication and Propagation through the Atmosphere and Oceans II; 88740V (2013) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2025913
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2013, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

2D phase screen methods have been frequently applied to estimate atmospheric turbulence in free space optic communication and imaging systems. In situations where turbulence is “strong” enough to cause severe discontinuity of the wavefront (small Fried coherence length), the transmitted optic signal behaves more like “rays” rather than “waves”. However, to achieve accurate simulation results through ray modeling requires both a high density of rays and a large number of eddies. Moreover, their complicated interactions require significant computational resources. Thus, we introduce a 3D ray model based on simple characteristics of turbulent eddies regardless of their particular geometry. The observed breakup of a beam wave into patches at a receiver and the theoretical description indicates that rays passing through the same sequence of turbulent eddies show “group” behavior whose wavefront can still be regarded as continuous. Thus, in our approach, we have divided the curved trajectory of rays into finite line segments and intuitively related their redirections to the refractive property of large turbulent eddies. As a result, our proposed treatment gives a quick and effective high-density ray simulation of a turbulent channel which only requires knowledge of the magnitude of the refractive index deviations. And our method points out a potential correction in reducing equivalent C_n² by applying adaptive optics. This treatment also shows the possibility of extending 2D phase screen simulations into more general 3D treatments.

Citation Download Citation

Chensheng Wu and Christopher C. Davis "Geometrical optics analysis of atmospheric turbulence", Proc. SPIE 8874, Laser Communication and Propagation through the Atmosphere and Oceans II, 88740V (25 September 2013); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2025913

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available