Fluctuation Distribution of Gaussian Beam Propagating Through a Random Medium

Abstract

The mean-square fluctuations of log amplitude and phase are analytically obtained for gaussian light-beam propagating through a randomly inhomogeneous medium with gaussian covariance of the refractive-index fluctuations. The beam used is radiated from an extended source with a circularly symmetric gaussian amplitude distribution and a curved wavefront (phase variation) which characterize the beam shape. The dependence of the fluctuation distribution upon the beam shape and the scale of the medium turbulence is discussed.