Symmetric sideband correlations and the random phase screen approximation

Abstract

It is shown that the validity of the random phase screen approximation in coherent wave scattering from random media can be determined from the correlation between symmetric sidebands in the scattered field. Analysis of doublet correlations in microwave reflectometer data taken on the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor confirms the validity of the model and allows for the numerical back propagation of measurements without the use of imaging optics.