Verification of the bulk method for calculating overwater optical turbulence

Abstract

A two-week overwater experiment has been performed to verify the bulk aerodynamic method for calculating the index of refraction structure function parameter, C(2)(N). Meteorological data were obtained on shipboard adjacent to a 13-km optical path over Monterey Bay. Model C(2)(N) and measured C(2)(N) values agree to within 33% on the average when there is spatial homogeneity. During periods of strong sea-surface temperature gradients, disagreements by a factor of 10 are common.