Analysis of rapid C[sub n][sup 2] fluctuations observed during a 5-km communication link experiment

Analysis of rapid C[sub n][sup 2] fluctuations observed during a 5-km communication link experiment

The path-integrated turbulence strength is usually thought of as a parameter that varies slowly with time. In a recent free-space communications experiment the C[subscript n][superscript 2] n value over a 5-km horizontal path was monitored almost continuously for a period of nearly a month. In addit...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yarnall, Timothy M., Michael, Steven, Moores, John D., Parenti, Ronald R., Wilcox, William E., Jr.
Other Authors: Lincoln Laboratory
Format: Article
Language:en_US
Published: Society of Photo-optical Instrumentation Engineers 2010
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/52702
Description
Summary:The path-integrated turbulence strength is usually thought of as a parameter that varies slowly with time. In a recent free-space communications experiment the C[subscript n][superscript 2] n value over a 5-km horizontal path was monitored almost continuously for a period of nearly a month. In addition to well defined and repeatable diurnal fluctuations, strong short-term fluctuations were observed in which the turbulence strength changed by an order of magnitude within a period of minutes. These rapid changes were independently measured by a commercial scintillometer and the high-rate output from the communications transceiver. The characteristics and probable causes for these dynamic atmospheric events and their impact on the design of free-space communication systems are discussed in this article.

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