Field Guide to Atmospheric Optics

The material in this Field Guide includes a review of classical Kolmogorov turbulence theory, Gaussian-beam waves in free space, and atmospheric effects on a propagating optical wave. These atmospheric effects have great importance in a variety of applications like imaging, free space optical communications, laser radar, and remote sensing. This Field Guide presents tractable mathematical models from which the practitioner can readily determine beam spreading, beam wander, spatial coherence radius (Fried's parameter), angle of arrival fluctuations, scintillation, aperture averaging effects, fade probabilities, bit error-rates, and enhanced backscatter effects, among others. There have been a number of new model developments in atmospheric propagation of a laser beam since the first edition of this Field Guide to Atmospheric Optics, many of which are included in this second edition. The subject of Atmospheric Optics is more extensive than that presented here. For example, most treatments of the subject matter concentrate heavily on the scattering and absorption by the molecular gases, particulates, and aerosols in the atmosphere. This usually also includes a detailed analysis of the wind, temperature, and pressure, particularly as a function of altitude. Another area of concentration in many treatments of the subject takes into account meteorological optics, which is a fascinating area all of its own. The subject of optical phenomena is often presented in great detail covering rainbows, halos, mirages, red sunsets, and so on.