The Aggregate Behavior of Branch Points- Altitude and Strength of Atmospheric Turbulence Layers

摘要

In earlier work we have shown that pupil plane branch points carry information about the conditions of the atmospheric turbulence. Experiments in the Atmospheric Simulation and Adaptive-optic Laboratory Test-bed (ASALT) at the Air Force Research Laboratory, Directed Energy Directorate's Starfire Optical Range have shown that branch points can provide the number and velocity of turbulence layers. Here we demonstrate that these measurements can further be used to estimate the turbulence layers' altitude and strength. This work is the culmination of research demonstrating that a methodology exists for identification of the number, altitude, strength, and velocity of atmospheric turbulence layers.