Propagation of Laser Radiation in a Turbulent Atmosphere

Abstract

This paper reviews the investigations of regularities of laser radiation propagation in a turbulent atmosphere carried out through 1971. Special attention is paid to the influence of laser radiation specificity-space limitation, coherence, and the possibility of its focusing on the propagation. Broadening of collimated and focused beams, their random wanderings, intensity fluctuations and coherence both in the conditions of weak fluctuations, described by the Rytov's method, and in the conditions of strong intensity fluctuations are considered.