Generation of infinitely long phase screens for modeling of optical wave propagation in atmospheric turbulence

Abstract

Numerical modeling of optical wave propagation in atmospheric turbulence is traditionally performed by using the so-called ‘split’-operator method, where the influence of the propagation medium's refractive index inhomogeneities is accounted for only within a set of infinitely narrow phase distorting layers (phase screens). These phase screens are generated on a numerical grid of finite size, which corresponds to a rather narrow slice (spatial area) of atmospheric turbulence. In several important applications including laser target tracking, remote sensing, adaptive optics, and atmospheric imaging, optical system performance depends on atmospheric turbulence within an extended area that significantly exceeds the area associated with the numerical grid.

In this paper we discuss methods that allow the generation of a family of long (including infinitely long) phase screens representing an extended (in one direction) area of atmospheric turbulence-induced phase distortions. This technique also allows the generation of long phase screens with spatially inhomogeneous statistical characteristics.

Acknowledgments

The authors are sincerely grateful to V.V. Kolosov for useful discussions. This work was accomplished in the scope of the contract agreement with Sandia National Laboratories (contract no. 243422). Sandia is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United States Department of Energy under contract DE–AC04–94AL85000.