Abstract

We derive the relationship between log-amplitude (or log-irradiance) variance and irradiance variance for optical scintillation described by a K probability distribution. The results indicate that all observations of maximum variance values, whether log-irradiance or irradiance data are used, are consistent. The K distribution appears to be a reasonable assumption for scintillation in the region of maximum variance. The K distribution is also consistent with data and theory in the very strong refractive turbulence region where exponential irradiance statistics are observed.

© 1981 Optical Society of America

Theory of saturation of optical scintillation by strong turbulence for arbitrary refractive-index spectra

R. J. Hill and S. F. Clifford
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 71(6) 675-686 (1981)

Are Strong Irradiance Fluctuations Log Normal or Rayleigh Distributed?*

David A. de Wolf
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 59(11) 1455-1460 (1969)

Perturbed log-normal distribution of irradiance fluctuations*

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J. Opt. Soc. Am. 64(7) 994-999 (1974)

Log-normal paradox in atmospheric scintillations*

Ting-i Wang and John W. Strohbehn
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Simplified Equation for Amplitude Scintillations in a Turbulent Atmosphere*

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J. Opt. Soc. Am. 62(9) 1061-1068 (1972)