Optical Turbulence and Laser Beam Propagation

Level: Intermediate Length: 7 hours Format: In-Person Lecture Intended Audience: Scientists, engineers and students who wish to learn about optical turbulence and the main effects it causes on laser beam propagation through the atmosphere and ocean. The course requires some knowledge in, at least at undergraduate level, random process, wave propagation and optics. Description: Optical turbulence is of interest for several applications involving laser beam propagation through the atmosphere and ocean. This course is organized in a simple and modular manner with the goal to make optical turbulence understandable to anyone with some basic knowledge in random process, wave propagation and optics. The course covers a wide range of topics from the theory of Kolmogorov and the Rytov method to main applications such as free space optical communication, underwater communications and laser radar and imaging. Students, engineers and scientists interested in free space optics and imaging will benefit from taking this course. Learning Outcomes: This course will enable you to: - explain the theory of random fields to model optical turbulence - describe optical turbulence by structure functions and power spectrums - describe the Rytov method and its limits - identify the weak and strong turbulence regimes - describe the propagation of a laser beam through atmospheric and oceanic turbulence - analyze the effects caused by turbulence on laser beams and images, such as: scintillation, beam spread, beam wander and angle of arrival fluctuations - predict how turbulence affects the optical performance of free-space laser communication systems - explain Fried parameter - predict how turbulence affects the phase variance and Strehl ratio of an optical image - explain the effectiveness of adaptive optics for reducing scintillation and/or phase variance of a turbulence affected laser beam Instructor(s): Italo Toselli is the founding member of TurbOttica LLC, Florida. He earned his PhD in Electrical and Communications Engineering from Politecnico di Torino, Italy, in 2008. With nearly 20 years of experience, he is an active researcher with focus on laser beam propagation through the atmosphere and ocean, having published many scientific papers in this field. He also serves as a reviewer for leading scientific journals and is a committee member for SPIE conferences. Dr. Toselli holds Senior Member status with both SPIE and Optica. Event: SPIE Photonics West 2025 Course Held: 27 January 2025