Turbulence Inner Scale Sensor

Atmospheric turbulence degrades performance of imaging and laser propagation systems. To validate the theoretical predictions, simulation results are often compared to field data. For accurate comparison the power spectral density of the refractive index field along the propagation path including the inner scale of turbulence must be known. However, the inner scale is usually not measured in the experiment. We propose a novel optical inner scale sensor. The proposed sensor has a simple design, and it can operate using a cooperative source, or a star, along arbitrary atmospheric paths that includes the strong scintillation regime both during daytime and night time. In the Phase I program we will validate the sensor concept in simulation, carry out performance analysis and determine design requirements, develop an automated procedure for inner scale determination, perform preliminary field tests, and develop sensor design. In Phase II program we will build the sensor package, test it against independent sensors, and field demonstrate it for practical applications identified by the sponsor.