Investigation of scintillometer designs for dynamic path measurement

Abstract

The characterization of atmospheric effects on a propagated laser beam is important to applications ranging from free-space optical communications to high-energy laser systems for ship defense. These applications are frequently developed for a dynamic propagation environment in which either one or both ends of the optical link are moving. The instruments are often constrained by size, weight, and power limitations due to the platforms on which they will be installed. The dynamic nature of the optical link induces several difficulties in link-path instrumentation: turbulence statistics on a continuously changing path are hard to interpret, and the optical instruments must be designed to maintain a high-quality link between beacon and receiver. We will review some of the scintillometer designs and we examine the associated data produced by these different instruments.