Abstract

We measure the mean and the variance of the irradiance of a diverging laser beam after reflection from a retroreflector and from a plane mirror in a turbulent atmosphere. Increases in both the mean irradiance and the normalized variance are observed in the direct backscatter direction because of correlation of turbulence on the outgoing path and the return path. The backscattered irradiance is enhanced by a factor of ∼ 2 and the variance by somewhat less.

© 1993 Optical Society of America

Enhanced backscatter of optical beams reflected in turbulent air

W. Nelson, J. P. Palastro, C. Wu, and C. C. Davis
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 32(7) 1371-1378 (2015)

Mutual coherence function for a double-passage retroreflected optical wave in atmospheric turbulence

L. C. Andrews, R. L. Phillips, and W. B. Miller
Appl. Opt. 36(3) 698-708 (1997)

Enhancement of backscattered intensity for a bistatic lidar operating in atmospheric turbulence

J. Fred Holmes
Appl. Opt. 30(18) 2643-2646 (1991)

Rytov approximation of the irradiance covariance and variance of a retroreflected optical beam in atmospheric turbulence

L. C. Andrews, R. L. Phillips, and A. R. Weeks
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 14(8) 1938-1948 (1997)

Angle-of-arrival fluctuations of a reflected beam in atmospheric turbulence

James H. Churnside and Richard J. Lataitis
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 4(7) 1264-1272 (1987)