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Laser Beam Broadening in Atmospheric Propagation
Author(s) -
Gilmartin Thomas J.,
Schultz Floyd V.
Publication year - 1969
Publication title -
radio science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.371
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1944-799X
pISSN - 0048-6604
DOI - 10.1029/rs004i011p00983
Subject(s) - physics , radius , optics , refractive index , beam (structure) , gaussian beam , computational physics , gaussian , beam diameter , field (mathematics) , laser , laser beams , mathematics , quantum mechanics , computer security , computer science , pure mathematics
By using the Born approximation and the Gaussian model for the correlation of refractive index fluctuations in the atmosphere, an expression for the power in the first‐scattered field of the TEM ∞ mode is obtained. It is demonstrated that the second‐scattered field does not contribute to beam broadening in the lowest‐order approximation. The total power in the first‐scattered field is found. The transverse profile of the scattered power is shown to be a function of a single parameter Θ L , which depends strongly on the ratio of the beam radius to the scale of turbulence a/l o . Values of l o and the mean square fluctuation of the refractive index ( n 1 2 ) are determined in an illustrative comparison with experimental data of the theoretical profile of a broadened beam.