Analysis of long-term measurements of laser propagation over the Chesapeake Bay

Abstract

Parameters characterizing the atmospheric turbulence in a $16\mathrm{km}$ maritime optical link were measured for the months of January through June of 2007 on a continuous basis, as conditions allowed. Both the scintillation index ${{\sigma }_I}^2$ and the atmospheric structure constant $C_n^2$ are found to have a strong dependence on the air-minus-water temperature difference. There is no obvious diurnal variation of $C_n^2$ or of ${{\sigma }_I}^2$ akin to the reduction in turbulence level seen in terrestrial links in the hour before sunrise and the hour after sunset. Results from the analysis of these data highlight a need for new approaches to modeling beam propagation in a maritime environment.