Effect of aerosol speckle phase decorrelation on the allowable signal averaging time for coherent optical receivers

J. Fred Holmes; Badih John Rask

doi:10.1117/12.254165

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14 October 1996 Effect of aerosol speckle phase decorrelation on the allowable signal averaging time for coherent optical receivers

J. Fred Holmes; Badih John Rask

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Proceedings Volume 2828, Image Propagation through the Atmosphere; (1996) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.254165
Event: SPIE's 1996 International Symposium on Optical Science, Engineering, and Instrumentation, 1996, Denver, CO, United States

Abstract

It is generally thought that the maximum signal averaging time for coherent (heterodyne) optical receivers is limited by the aerosol speckle phase decorrelation time. Fortunately, for many applications this is not true. It is demonstrated analytically and confirmed by experimental data that for many applications the signal averaging time is limited by the shorter of the laser transmitter or atmospheric turbulence phase decorrelation times. This can have a significant impact on lowering the threshold for signal detection when the fast Fourier transform (maximum likelihood estimator) is used to detect the signal.

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J. Fred Holmes and Badih John Rask "Effect of aerosol speckle phase decorrelation on the allowable signal averaging time for coherent optical receivers", Proc. SPIE 2828, Image Propagation through the Atmosphere, (14 October 1996); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.254165

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