Rytov variance equivalence through extended atmospheric turbulence and an arbitrary thickness phase screen in non-Kolmogorov turbulence

Abstract

An arbitrary thickness phase screen model can describe scintillation index for Gaussian beam propagating through a phase screen more accurate than thin phase screen model. To describing actual scintillation index for Gaussian beam propagating through an extended medium using a phase screen in weak non-Kolmogorov turbulence, the scintillation index and Rytov variance for arbitrary thickness phase screen model are derived. Specially, the ratio of the Rytov variances for a phase screen and extended random media is found under the assumption of equivalence in scintillation index of the two cases. The theoretical results show that the normalized Rytov variance varies with the power law of the turbulence spectrum, the relative thickness of the phase screen, the position of the phase screen, the transmitter beam parameters and the radial position at output plane. The influences of these variables are also simulated. These results will be applied to simulation of adaptive optics and laser communication.