Abstract

An investigation has been made of the degree to which the invariance of the relative dispersion of the atmosphere will permit an interferometric separation between geometric path differences and path differences due to atmospheric inhomogeneities. Humidity variations are the most serious. A difference in average humidity of 1% of saturation at 15°C would affect the comparison of two paths by approximately 2 parts in 10⁸. The feasibility of photographing interference for long paths through an uncontrolled atmosphere has been investigated. Photographs of channel spectrum interference have been readily obtained for path lengths of 115 m near ground level.

© 1962 Optical Society of America

Investigation of the Invariance of Atmospheric Dispersion with a Long-Path Refractometer*

Kent E. Erickson
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 52(7) 777-780 (1962)

Regenerative Circulatory Multiple-Beam Interferometry for the Study of Light-Propagation Effects

Adolph H. Rosenthal
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 52(10) 1143-1148 (1962)

Atmospheric Scattering Coefficients in the Visible and Infrared Regions

G. L. Knestrick, T. H. Cosden, and J. A. Curcio
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 52(9) 1010-1016 (1962)

Wavelengths, Energy Levels, and Pressure Shifts in Mercury 198

Victor Kaufman
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 52(8) 866-870 (1962)

Determination of Atmospherically Induced Phase Fluctuations by Long–Distance Interferometry at 6328 Å*

R. G. Buser and G. K. Born
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 60(8) 1079-1084 (1970)