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Abstract
Light propagating through the atmosphere may have a phase-correlation scale different from the wave-correlation scale. These two scale lengths together with physically reasonable wave and phase autocovariance functions yield new predictions for atmospheric imaging characteristics such as image wander. These predictions are compatible with much of the limited experimental data available.
Notes
Our experience using small telescopes is consistent with the prediction that image wander should never exceed about 64 per cent of the seeing angle for r′ ≫ D
Calculations using the old theory for tilt only correction effects in various cases and measurements, generally for laser beams over horizontal paths, have not been so optimistic. See, for example, citations in [16]; YuRA, H. T., 1973, J. opt. Soc. Am., 63, 567; DOWLING, J. A., LIVINGSTON, P. M., 1973, J. opt. Soc. Am., 63, 846; CHIBA, T., 1971, Appl. Optics, 10, 2456; DUNPHY, J. R., KERR, J. R., 1974, J. opt. Soc. Am., 64, 1015; LUTOMIRSKI, R. F., WOODIE, W. L., BUSER, R. G., 1977, Appl. Optics, 16, 665; WANG, J. Y., 1977, J. opt. Soc. Am., 67, 383; and WANG, J. Y., MARKEY, J. K., 1978, J. opt. Soc. Am., 68, 78. An astronomical measurement in poor seeing with a compensated imaging device showed wavefront tilt to be “… less than 20 per cent of the correction …” (see MCCALL, S. L., BROWN, T. R., and PASSNER, A., 1977, Astrophys. J., b>211, 463)