Abstract
A concept of atmospheric turbulence characterization using laser light backscattered off a moving unresolved target or a moving target with a glint is considered and analyzed through wave-optics numerical simulations. The technique is based on analysis of the autocorrelation function and variance of the power signal measured by the target-in-the-loop atmospheric sensing (TILAS) system composed of a single-mode-fiber-based optical transceiver and the moving target. It is shown that the TILAS received power signal autocorrelation function strongly depends on the turbulence distribution and is weakly sensitive to the turbulence strength, while the signal variance equally depends on these parameters. Assuming the atmospheric turbulence model can be represented by a single spatially localized turbulence layer and the target position and speed are known independently, consecutive analysis of the autocorrelation function and variance of the TILAS signal allows evaluation of both the turbulence layer strength and position along the optical propagation path. It is also demonstrated that the autocorrelation function can potentially be used for the atmospheric turbulence outer scale estimation.
Highlights
Atmospheric turbulence characterization based on remote sensing of the target-plane laser beam characteristics is typically performed along the optical propagation path between optical transceiver and a target
Consider first the correlation properties of the TILAS received power signal PTILAS (t) for the single layer model, where the turbulence layer of a fixed strength is placed at different distances from the TILAS transceiver
Dependence of the autocorrelation function B(τ) and the variance of the TILAS received power signal σ J2 on the atmospheric turbulence distribution, strength, and outer scale can serve for turbulence characterization
Summary
Atmospheric turbulence characterization based on remote sensing of the target-plane laser beam characteristics is typically performed along the optical propagation path between optical transceiver and a target. In many cases, atmospheric turbulence is non-uniform [2] and composed of relatively thin, horizontally extended layers of high values of the refractive index caused, e.g., by evening transition of the boundary layer [3] or jet streams and gravity waves in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere [4]. We present a concept which allows characterization of atmospheric turbulence layers along the trajectory of a moving target as well as real-time evaluation of major laser beam characteristics such as intensity scintillations directly on the remote target. The paper concludes with a summary and suggestions for future work
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