Influence of atmospherically induced random wave fronts on diffraction imagery: a computer simulation model for testing image reconstruction algorithms

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Abstract
This paper is devoted to the development of a two-dimensional computer-simulation model that is based on the rigid constraints of optical diffraction theory with careful attention paid to the generation of sample realizations of Gaussian distributed, spatially random, isotropic wave fronts that have zero-mean and prescribed-covariance functions. Although we used a Gaussian covariance in our calculations, the simulation can incorporate any permissible covariance function. Given a sample realization of the wave front, the corresponding centered point-spread function and optical-transfer function are evaluated. A detailed study is made of the statistics of random wave-front tilt, point-spread function, modulus squared of transfer function, and phase of transfer function.