Title
Inhomogeneity of optical turbulence over False Bay (South Africa)
Author
Ullwer, C.
Sprung, D.
van Eijk, A.M.J.
Gunter, W.
Stein, K.
Contributor
Gladysz, S. (editor)
Stein, K.U. (editor)
Publication year
2018
Abstract
Atmospheric turbulence impacts on the propagation of electro-optical radiation. Typical manifestations of optical turbulence are scintillation (intensity fluctuations), beam wander and (for laser systems) reduction of beam quality. For longer propagation channels, it is important to characterize the vertical and horizontal distribution (inhomogeneity) of the optical turbulence. In the framework of the First European South African Transmission ExpeRiment (FESTER) optical turbulence was measured between June 2015 and February 2016 on a 2 km over-water link over False Bay. The link ran from the Institute of Maritime Technology (IMT) in Simons Town to the lighthouse at Roman Rock Island. Three Boundary layer scintillometers (BLS900) allowed assessing the vertical distribution of optical turbulence at three different heights between 5 and 12 m above the water surface. The expected decrease of Cn 2 with height is not always found. These results are analyzed in terms of the meteorological scenarios, and a comparison is made with a fourth optical link providing optical turbulence data over a 8.7 km path from IMT to Kalk Bay, roughly 36° to the north of the three 2 km paths. The results are related to the inhomogeneous meteorological conditions over the Bay as assessed with the numerical weather prediction tool, the Weather Forecast and Research model WRF. © Copyright 2017 SPIE. The Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)
Subject
2015 Observation, Weapon & Protection Systems
ED - Electronic Defence
TS - Technical Sciences
Inhomogeneity
Maritime surface layer
NWP
Scintillometer
Adaptive optics
Adaptive systems
Atmospheric turbulence
Boundary layers
Scintillation
Weather forecasting
Horizontal distribution
Inhomogeneities
Meteorological condition
Numerical weather prediction
Optical turbulence
Surface layers
Transmission experiments
Atmospheric thermodynamics
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TNO identifier
784897
Publisher
SPIE
ISBN
9781510613140
ISSN
0277-786X
Source
Optics in Atmospheric Propagation and Adaptive Systems XX 2017. 13 September 2017 through 14 September 2017, 10425
Series
Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Article number
1042509
Document type
conference paper