ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the statistical models for turbulence and wavefront propagation through the turbulent atmosphere, derives the first-order effects of turbulence on imaging systems, and describes two methods for representing turbulence effects on a wavefront using modal expansion techniques. It also presents the physical origin of the index of refraction fluctuations, and discusses spectral models used to describe turbulence effects. The chapter also describes the effects of random index of refraction fluctuations on a propagating wave. It also discusses first-order effects of turbulence on imaging systems. The chapter examines modal expansions for turbulence-induced phase aberrations. It provides techniques for generating phase screens to simulate the effects of atmospheric turbulence on imaging systems. The chapter develops expressions describing the space and time correlation properties of a perturbed field in the pupil plane of an optical system. It also examines two methods for expanding the phase of the turbulence-corrupted wave front.
