A technique for profiling of C_n² over an atmospheric propagation path is proposed, developed and analyzed. The technique employs differential-tilt measurements to arrive at statistics which have unique weighting functions over the propagation path. These weighting functions are computed theoretically and used to derive a reconstructor matrix for C_n² values throughout the path to be applied to an appropriate set of differential-tilt statistics. A candidate optical system is presented, and the performance of the profile reconstructor is analyzed. This study indicates that the relative error in the C_n² estimates is approximately 5%. The relative error in estimating key atmospheric parameters such as the Fried parameter, isoplanatic angle, and the Rytov parameter from the reconstructed profiles is approximately 3%.

Date Published: 4 February 2002
PDF: 12 pages
Proc. SPIE 4494, Adaptive Optics Systems and Technology II, (4 February 2002); doi: 10.1117/12.454795

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 4494:
Adaptive Optics Systems and Technology II
Robert K. Tyson; Domenico Bonaccini; Michael C. Roggemann, Editor(s)