Artificial turbulence generation alternatives for use in computer and laboratory experiments

Alastair D. McAulay

doi:10.1117/12.454706

1 February 2002 Artificial turbulence generation alternatives for use in computer and laboratory experiments

Alastair D. McAulay

Proceedings Volume 4493, High-Resolution Wavefront Control: Methods, Devices, and Applications III; (2002) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.454706
Event: International Symposium on Optical Science and Technology, 2001, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

Two methods, the spectral and the covariance, are investigated and compared for generating phase screens for modeling the propagation of light through turbulent atmosphere. The spectral method uses the Kolmogorov spectrum which does not define a spectrum below a specified low spatial frequency cutoff. The difficulties of defining the spectrum below the cutoff and the corresponding difficulties this presents for modeling are discussed. Phase screens are shown using the spectral method and have the correct spectrum. However, the phase screens lose accuracy for truncated low spatial frequencies because of a Fourier transform operation. Phase screens are shown that are produced using the covariance method and Kolmogorov structure function for turbulence in the atmosphere. This method avoids taking a Fourier transform but cannot easily model low spatial frequencies below the cutoff for the Kolmogorov spectrum. We show that because the largest powers are in the low spatial frequencies, according to the Kolmogorov spectrum, that truncating the largest eigenvalues has the effect of reducing the low spatial frequencies. The covariance method take longer to compute and is the subject of ongoing investigation.

Citation Download Citation

Alastair D. McAulay "Artificial turbulence generation alternatives for use in computer and laboratory experiments", Proc. SPIE 4493, High-Resolution Wavefront Control: Methods, Devices, and Applications III, (1 February 2002); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.454706

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