Abstract

The wave structure function (WSF) for a plane wave, calculated from the basic Rytov theory, is usually expressed as $6.88{\left(r/r_0\right)}^{5/3}$, but this does not include the effect of a finite outer scale (or of a nonzero inner scale) of turbulence. When separation distance r is only 5% of the outer scale, this expression overpredicts the WSF by a factor of approximately 2. Accurate evaluations of the Rytov formulas are given for the WSFs of plane and spherical waves in Kolmogorov and von Karman turbulence and for the structure function of the atmosphere's index of refraction. Simple formulas make the results easy to use.

© 2007 Optical Society of America

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