Analysis of rapid Cn2 fluctuations observed during a 5-km communication link experiment

Timothy M. Yarnall; Steven S. Michael; John D. Moores; Ronald R. Parenti; William E. Wilcox Jr.

doi:10.1117/12.818795

2 May 2009 Analysis of rapid C_n² fluctuations observed during a 5-km communication link experiment

Timothy M. Yarnall, Steven S. Michael, John D. Moores, Ronald R. Parenti, William E. Wilcox Jr.

Proceedings Volume 7324, Atmospheric Propagation VI; 73240B (2009) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.818795
Event: SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing, 2009, Orlando, Florida, United States

Abstract

The path-integrated turbulence strength is usually thought of as a parameter that varies slowly with time. In a recent free-space communications experiment the C_n² n value over a 5-km horizontal path was monitored almost continuously for a period of nearly a month. In addition to well defined and repeatable diurnal fluctuations, strong short-term fluctuations were observed in which the turbulence strength changed by an order of magnitude within a period of minutes. These rapid changes were independently measured by a commercial scintillometer and the high-rate output from the communications transceiver. The characteristics and probable causes for these dynamic atmospheric events and their impact on the design of free-space communication systems are discussed in this article.

Citation Download Citation

Timothy M. Yarnall, Steven S. Michael, John D. Moores, Ronald R. Parenti, and William E. Wilcox Jr. "Analysis of rapid C_n² fluctuations observed during a 5-km communication link experiment", Proc. SPIE 7324, Atmospheric Propagation VI, 73240B (2 May 2009); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.818795

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