Abstract

A diffusion model is developed for describing the propagation of optical pulses through dense scattering media (clouds). The model invokes both 1-D and 3-D diffusion and is valid even for clouds of only a few diffusion thicknesses. The predictions of the model are compared to experimental pulse shapes obtained by other workers for real clouds and scale model clouds and by Monte Carlo simulations. Comparisons indicate that the ratio of the 3-D to the 1-D component in the transmitted pulse increases with both the diffusion thickness of the cloud and the field of view of the receiver. Knowledge of the impulse response of a cloud of known length is sufficient to determine the diffusion length and hence the average scattering coefficient of the cloud.

© 1988 Optical Society of America

Propagation through optically thick media

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Optical pulse propagation through clouds

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