Abstract

An ambiguity function is defined for a time-varying random field, prescribed over some initial aperture plane. The ambiguity function is shown to propagate without change in a uniform medium, under conditions when Fresnel diffraction occurs. It reduces to Papoulis’s time-invariant form of the ambiguity function and to Ratcliffe’s field autocorrelation function, as particular cases. Applications are envisaged in the propagation of a laser beam through a turbulent atmosphere.

© 1986 Optical Society of America

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