Image processing adapted to the atmospheric speckle. II. Remote sounding of turbulence by means of multidimensional analysis

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Abstract
For pt.I see ibid., vol.14, no.1, p.5 (1983). An atmospheric speckle, resulting from the Fresnel diffraction of a plane wave throughout a turbulent layer, is characterized by several variables. The authors show that a statistical analysis, simultaneously carried out for the time, space and angular position of light sources, leads to a detailed knowledge of the physical properties inside each atmospheric layer. The authors describe an optical sounder able to do a real time analysis. Its performance is discussed with regard to spatial (vertical and horizontal) and temporal resolutions. The authors also show that its detectivity may be compared with the one of VHF radars. Up to seven turbulent layers can be separated between 2 to 25 km as shown by some recent results. The sensitivity of the sounder allows one to detect breaking gravity waves up to 20 km, in the stratosphere. Such an altitude can be reached only by a large diameter radar like Arecibo's.