TY - GEN
T1 - Measurements of partially spatially coherent laser beam intensity fluctuations propagating through a hot-air turbulence emulator and comparison with both terrestrial and maritime environments
AU - Nelson, C.
AU - Avramov-Zamurovic, S.
AU - Korotkova, O.
AU - Malek-Madani, R.
AU - Sova, R.
AU - Davidson, Frederic
PY - 2013/5/30
Y1 - 2013/5/30
N2 - Measurements of partially spatially coherent infra-red laser beam intensity fluctuations propagating through a hot-air turbulence emulator are compared with visible laser beam intensity fluctuations in the maritime and IR laser beam intensity fluctuations in the terrestrial environment at the United States Naval Academy. The emulator used in the laboratory for the comparison is capable of generating controlled optical clear air turbulence ranging from weak to strong scintillation. Control of the degree of spatial coherence of the propagating laser beam was accomplished using both infrared and visible spatial light modulators. Specific statistical analysis compares the probability density and temporal autocovariance functions, and fade statistics of the propagating laser beam between the in-laboratory emulation and the maritime field experiment. Additionally, the scintillation index across varying degrees of spatial coherence is compared for both the maritime and terrestrial field experiments as well as the in-laboratory emulation. The possibility of a scintillation index 'sweet' spot is explored.
AB - Measurements of partially spatially coherent infra-red laser beam intensity fluctuations propagating through a hot-air turbulence emulator are compared with visible laser beam intensity fluctuations in the maritime and IR laser beam intensity fluctuations in the terrestrial environment at the United States Naval Academy. The emulator used in the laboratory for the comparison is capable of generating controlled optical clear air turbulence ranging from weak to strong scintillation. Control of the degree of spatial coherence of the propagating laser beam was accomplished using both infrared and visible spatial light modulators. Specific statistical analysis compares the probability density and temporal autocovariance functions, and fade statistics of the propagating laser beam between the in-laboratory emulation and the maritime field experiment. Additionally, the scintillation index across varying degrees of spatial coherence is compared for both the maritime and terrestrial field experiments as well as the in-laboratory emulation. The possibility of a scintillation index 'sweet' spot is explored.
KW - Free-space optical communications
KW - atmospheric turbulence
KW - hot-air turbulence emulator
KW - maritime
KW - partial spatial coherence
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84878179177&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84878179177&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1117/12.2003307
DO - 10.1117/12.2003307
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84878179177
SN - 9780819493798
T3 - Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
BT - Free-Space Laser Communication and Atmospheric Propagation XXV
T2 - Free-Space Laser Communication and Atmospheric Propagation XXV
Y2 - 5 February 2013 through 7 February 2013
ER -