Intensity fluctuations of spherical acoustic waves propagating through thermal turbulence*

The intensity fluctuations of acoustic waves that propagate through thermal turbulence are investigated under well controlled laboratory conditions. Two heated grids in air are placed horizontally in a large anechoic room and the mixing of the free convection plumes above them generates a homogeneous isotropic random thermal field. The spectrum of refractive index fluctuations is accurately described by a modified von Karman model which takes into account the entire spectrum of turbulence. Experimental data are obtained by varying both the frequency of the spherical wave and the distance of propagation. In this paper we concentrate on the variance of the normalized intensity fluctuations and on their probability distributions. These measurements cover all the regimes from weak scattering to strong scattering including the peak of the intensity variance. Experimental values of the scintillation index are compared with classical theoretical predictions and also with the results of recent numerical simulations. The classical probability density functions (log-normal, exponential, I-K) are tested against the measured probability distributions. The generalized gamma distribution, which varies smoothly from log-normal to exponential as a function of two parameters, appears m represent the experimental data for a very large range of scattering conditions.     

Observation of Radial Propagation of Electrostatic Fluctuations in Edge Plasma of the Sino United Spherical Tokamak

Radial propagation of electrostatic fluctuations in the edge plasma of Sino-United Spherical Tokamak (SUNIST) has been measured using Langmuir probes. The propagation characteristics of the floating potential fluctuations are analysed by the two-point correlation technique. The results show radially outward propagation of the turbulent fluctuations at all measured radial positions. The power-average wavenumber profile is approximately constant in plasma edge region and suddenly increases to the limiter. These results are in good agreement with the model predictions proposed by Mattor which suggests that the drift wave propagation may be a source of edge turbulence.     

On the appearance of caustics for plane sound-wave propagation in moving random media

In this paper we derive expressions for the probability densities of the appearance of the first caustic for a plane sound wave propagating in moving random media. Our approach generalizes the previous work by White et al. and Klyatskin in the case of motionless media. It allows us to calculate analytically the probability density functions for two- and three-dimensional media and to express these functions in terms of the diffusion coefficient. Explicit equations are given for Gaussian and von Karman spectra of velocity fluctuations. If the random scalar or vectorial fluctuations of the medium have the same contribution to the refractive-index fluctuations, we demonstrate that in a moving medium caustics appear at shorter distances than in a non-moving one. The two-dimensional version of the theory is tested by numerical simulations in the case of velocity fluctuations with Gaussian spectra. Numerical results are in very good agreement with the theoretical predictions.     

Theoretical prediction and experimental validation of the angle-of-arrival probability density of a laser beam in a strong plane-flame turbulence

The propagation of a laser beam through a plane turbulent flame is studied using geometrical optics approximation. The random fluctuations of the refractive index caused by a strong thermal turbulence in the flame create random perturbations of the laser beam direction. From the Markovian process model applied along the whole random path of the beam, the theoretical probability density of the laser beam angle-of-arrival is derived from the analytical solution of the Einstein-Fokker-Kolmogorov equation, which we have determined in terms of a series expansion of spherical harmonics. An experimental setup and a method for measuring this probability density are described. The experimental results obtained are shown to agree with the theoretical predictions.     

Statistical theory of the propagation of optical radiation in turbulent media

The problem of the propagation of a plane light wave in a turbulent medium is studied on the basis of the ideas of statistical topography. A cluster (caustic) structure of the intensity of the wave field in a plane perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the wave is analyzed both in the region of weak intensity fluctuations and in the region of saturated fluctuations. The specific (per unit area) values of the total area of the regions where the intensity is greater than a fixed level, the fraction of the power confined in these regions, and the total perimeter and average number of such regions are estimated. It is shown that estimates of this kind can be made on the basis of a knowledge of the joint one-point probability distribution of the intensity and transverse gradient of the wave field. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 111, 2044–2058 (June 1997)     

光在超声速湍流边界层中的传输

采用数值方法分析超声速边界层流场对光传输的影响,并根据光波的变化对流场特征进行分析.用法福尔质量加权平均N-S方程及两方程湍流模型求解三维超声速平板湍流边界层流动;光在流场中的传输采用傍轴近似光波传输方程描述,用相屏法和快速傅里叶变换(FFT)技术求解.利用穿越流场的光波光强和相位的改变,直观分析光波畸变和流场的部分特征信息.     

斜程大气湍流中漫射目标的散射特性

根据推广的惠更斯-菲涅尔原理及ITU-R大气结构常数模型(2001年国际电信联盟提出的随高度变化的大气结构常数模型),考虑了大气湍流对激光从发射机到目标和从目标到接收机双程路径的影响,研究了大气湍流中漫射目标的激光波束散射问题,导出了考虑对数振幅起伏和相位占优情况下在斜程大气湍流中传输时激光波束散射场的互相关函数、强度协方差和强度方差的计算公式,并给出了数值计算结果.数值分析了波长、接收机高度和传播距离对强度协方差和归一化强度方差的影响. 关键词： 激光散射 斜程湍流 强度方差 强度协方差     

大气湍流中孔径限制下高斯光束的传播特性

在扩展Huygens-Fresnel原理和Rytov近似的基础上,得到了孔径限制下湍流大气中高斯光束平均光强的积分表达式,利用数值模拟方法分析了轴上和接收面上平均光强的分布,并得到了波阵面半径、传播距离、湍流强度和波长与平均光强的关系曲线图.结果表明在湍流大气中波长、传播距离、发射孔径和波阵面半径的改变会引起平均光强重心的漂移,传播距离增加会导致光束的展宽.     

Joint moments of the wave beam amplitude and inverse power in an absorbing random medium with lens properties

This paper presents a derivation of a system of closed equations for joint moments of the amplitude and inverse power of a wave beam propagating in a regularly inhomogeneous dissipative random medium. The radiation transfer in the medium is characterized by non-conservation of the total radiation energy flux and by the existence of power fluctuations. The statistics of the wave beam power fluctuations have been studied. Information on the power statistical characteristics is applied to close the system of equations for joint moments. For task parameters which are not very strict (an effective radius of the wave beam should be considerably less than the outer scale of the turbulence) a system of independent equations for arbitrary joint moments has been obtained. The equations for the first two lower joint moments of the beam intensity and inverse power have been solved analytically. With the solutions obtained the effective wave beam parameters were calculated, i.e. the beam mean displacement, effective broadening and tremble variance (the beam wandering variance) for the propagation of radiation in the refractive channel of an absorbing turbulent medium. Radically new characteristics of the behaviour of the effective parameters in random absorbing and transparent media have been revealed.     

Joint moments of the wave beam amplitude and inverse power in an absorbing random medium with lens properties

Abstract

This paper presents a derivation of a system of closed equations for joint moments of the amplitude and inverse power of a wave beam propagating in a regularly inhomogeneous dissipative random medium. The radiation transfer in the medium is characterized by non-conservation of the total radiation energy flux and by the existence of power fluctuations. The statistics of the wave beam power fluctuations have been studied. Information on the power statistical characteristics is applied to close the system of equations for joint moments. For task parameters which are not very strict (an effective radius of the wave beam should be considerably less than the outer scale of the turbulence) a system of independent equations for arbitrary joint moments has been obtained. The equations for the first two lower joint moments of the beam intensity and inverse power have been solved analytically. With the solutions obtained the effective wave beam parameters were calculated, i.e. the beam mean displacement, effective broadening and tremble variance (the beam wandering variance) for the propagation of radiation in the refractive channel of an absorbing turbulent medium. Radically new characteristics of the behaviour of the effective parameters in random absorbing and transparent media have been revealed.     

Degree of polarization for quantum light field propagating through non-Kolmogorov turbulence

Nonclassical polarization properties of a quantum field propagating through non-Kolmogorov turbulence are studied in a turbulent atmosphere paraxial channel. The analytic equation for the quantum degree of polarization of linearly polarized light is obtained. It is shown by numerical simulation that the polarization fluctuations of the quantum field are a function of the turbulent strength, the photon number, the propagation distance, the fractal constant α and the coherence length ρ₀.     

大气环境下用于瞄准的激光波束传播特性研究

针对激光瞄准过程中的光斑偏移现象,结合修正的Von Karman谱的折射指数起伏和Hufnagel-Vally湍流模型上的近似积分,研究了高斯脉冲光束在湍流大气中远场水平以及斜程传播时的脉冲展宽和闪烁指数,分析了强湍流条件下1.06 μm准单色光斜程大气传输光强分布与脉冲展宽的关系,对数值结果进行比较,发现远距离传输中波长和距离对波束瞄准偏差影响较大.从理论和实验上对大气环境下激光光斑瞄准偏差进行了分析研究,研究结果表明:将激光光斑全场数据及分析结果应用到现有偏差补偿算法中,可以实现激光瞄准偏差的有效补偿,在大气能见度1 km～3 km范围内,激光瞄准偏差测量误差σA≤0.1 mrad.     

湍流等离子体鞘套中高斯光束的传播特性分析

为了研究高斯光束在湍流等离子体鞘套中的传输特性,根据广义惠更斯-菲涅耳原理,采用基于快速傅里叶变换的功率谱反演法,用多随机相位屏来模拟湍流带来的影响.根据超声速飞行器绕流等离子体流场厚度在厘米级别的特点,光束在两个相位屏之间的传输过程中采用菲涅耳衍射积分的两次快速傅里叶变换算法(double fast Fourier transform algorithm),利用多随机相位屏模拟等离子体鞘套湍流对光束传输产生的影响,解决了多随机相位屏模拟湍流研究中的超短距离传输问题.当飞行高度为45 km,飞行速度为18马赫时,通过对超声速飞行器绕流等离子体流场的统计分析,发现在此飞行条件下折射率起伏方差的强度范围10~(–11)—10~(–14).对高斯光束在湍流等离子体流场中的传输特性进行了数值仿真.结果表明:在等离子体鞘套湍流中折射率起伏强度、波长、传输距离等都是影响高斯光束质量的重要因素.折射率方差越大,传输距离越长,光斑弥散越严重,光强起伏越大,光强减弱也越明显.光束的波长越长,高斯光束抑制湍流的能力越强,光斑弥散程度越小,光强起伏也越小.     

Degree of polarization for single-photon beam in a turbulent atmosphere

The polarization fluctuations of single-photon beam propagation through the slant path turbulent atmosphere are studied. The Stokes operators and the degree of polarization of single-photon beam in a turbulent atmosphere are obtained. It is shown by analytical calculations, that the quantum degree of polarization of linearly polarization light is a decrease function of the atmospheric turbulence strength and the propagation distance for lower detection photon number.     

Short-scale turbulent fluctuations driven by the electron-temperature gradient in the national spherical torus experiment

Measurements with coherent scattering of electromagnetic waves in plasmas of the National Spherical Torus Experiment indicate the existence of turbulent fluctuations in the range of wave numbers k perpendicular rho(e)=0.1-0.4, corresponding to a turbulence scale length nearly equal to the collisionless skin depth. Experimental observations and agreement with numerical results from a linear gyrokinetic stability code support the conjecture that the observed turbulence is driven by the electron-temperature gradient.     

Fluctuations of spherical waves in a turbulent atmosphere: effect of the axisymmetric approximation in computational methods

The validity of the axisymmetric parabolic-equation (PE) method for line-of-sight sound propagation in a turbulent atmosphere is investigated. The axisymmetric PE method is a finite-difference method for solving a 2D parabolic wave equation, which follows from the 3D wave equation by the assumption of axial symmetry around the vertical axis through the source. It is found that this axisymmetric approximation has a considerable spurious effect on the fluctuations of the sound field. This is concluded from analytical expressions for the log-amplitude and phase variances, derived both for isotropic turbulence and for axisymmetric turbulence. The expressions for axisymmetric turbulence are compared with the results of numerical computations with the PE method.     

The effect of timescale variation in multiple mapping conditioning mixing of PDF calculations for Sandia Flame series D–F

A stochastic implementation of the multiple mapping conditioning (MMC) model has been used for the modelling of turbulence–chemistry interactions in a series of turbulent jet diffusion flames with varying degrees of local extinction (Sandia Flames D–F). The mapping function approximates the cumulative probability distribution of mixture fraction and the corresponding variance can be controlled by a standard implementation of the scalar mixing timescale. The conditional fluctuations are controlled by a minor dissipation timescale, τ_min. The results show a clear dependence of the conditional fluctuations on the choice of the minor timescale, and the appropriate value for turbulent jet flames is similar to values determined in related direct numerical simulation (DNS) studies of homogeneous turbulent reacting flows. The predictions of means and variances of temperature and species mass fractions are very good for all flames, indicating an appropriate modelling of the conditional variances. Further sensitivity studies with respect to particle number density demonstrate a relative insensitivity of the results to the particle number in the numerical solution procedure. Good results can be obtained with as few as 10 particles per cell, allowing for a computationally inexpensive implementation of a Monte Carlo/probability density function (PDF) method.     

Wave turbulence buildup in a vibrating plate

We report experimental and numerical results on the buildup of the energy spectrum in wave turbulence of a vibrating thin elastic plate. Three steps are observed: first a short linear stage, then the turbulent spectrum is constructed by the propagation of a front in wave number space and finally a long time saturation due to the action of dissipation. The propagation of a front at the second step is compatible with scaling predictions from the Weak Turbulence Theory.     

Wander of a Gaussian-Beam Wave Propagated Through a Non-Kolmogorov Turbulent Atmosphere

Both increasing experimental evidence and some results of theoretical investigation have shown that there exist two kinds of turbulence in the aerosphere, Kolmogorov and non-Kolmogorov turbulence. Thus, it is necessary to improve the theory of optical wave propagation through atmospheric turbulence, namely, study the laser-beam propagation in non-Kolmogorov turbulence, before analyzing the joint influence of the Kolmogorov turbulence and non-Kolmogorov one on satellite laser communication. The beam wander will lead to the performance degradation of satellite laser communication systems and exert an influence on the achievement and stability of its links. In this paper, we consider a theoretical power spectrum of refractive-index fluctuations with a generalized power law in order to derive the variance of Gaussian-beam wave wander in weak turbulence for a horizonal path and analyze the influence of spectral power-law variations on the beam wander. We show that the expression for the beam-wander variance is of concise closed form and independent of the optical wavelength.     

Scintillation of a laser beam propagation through non-Kolmogorov strong turbulence

Atmospheric turbulence causes strong irradiance fluctuations of propagating optical wave under the severe weather conditions in long-distance free space optical communication. In this paper, the scintillation index for a Gaussian beam wave propagation through non-Kolmogorov turbulent atmosphere is derived in strong fluctuation regime, using non-Kolmogorov spectrum with a generalized power law exponent and the extended Rytov theory with a modified spatial filter function. The analytic expressions are obtained and then used to analyze the effect of power law, refractive-index structure parameter, propagation distance, phase radius of curvature, beam width and wavelength on scintillation index of Gaussian beam under the strong atmospheric turbulence. It shows that, with the increasing of structure parameter or propagation distance, scintillation index increases sharply up to the peak point and then decreases gradually toward unity at rates depending on power law. And there exist optimal value of radius of curvature and beam width for minimizing the value of scintillation index and long wavelength for mitigating the effect of non-Kolmogorov strong turbulence on link performance.