Experimental study on laser propagation characteristics in local air turbulence disturbed by coherent acoustic waves

Abstract

The existence of atmospheric turbulence seriously restricts the application of laser technology. However, the acoustic wave will affect the air density during the propagation process, change the original structure of the air turbulence, and then affect the propagation of the laser in the air turbulence. To study the effect of disturbance of atmospheric turbulence by acoustic waves on laser propagation, the propagation characteristics of lasers in local atmospheric turbulence under coherent acoustic wave perturbation are investigated experimentally. First, a coherent acoustic wave generator and a closed local air turbulence simulation device are designed. The propagation experiments of laser in a closed local air turbulence environment disturbed by coherent acoustic waves are carried out. It is found that the coherent acoustic wave will interfere with the wave reflected from the inner wall of the closed local air turbulence simulation device, and the sound pressure forms a regular standing wave intensity distribution pattern. Moreover, the variations of laser beam drift fluctuation variance, scintillation index, and beam diameter with coherent acoustic wave frequency, power, and sound source array position are studied. The results show that the original structure of air turbulence will be changed in the process of coherent acoustic wave propagation, which will affect the beam drift fluctuation variance, scintillation index, and beam diameter changes of laser propagation in air turbulence. The beam drift fluctuation variance, scintillation index, and beam diameter change regularly with the change of the frequency and power of the sound source. Changes of the fluctuations with frequency are relatively gentle, whereas changes with power are severe. This paper explores the influence of coherent acoustic waves disturbing air turbulence on laser propagation characteristics, and the research results provide a basis for improving or disturbing laser propagation performance in atmospheric turbulent environments.