Estimation of beam pointing parameters using return signal statistics: atmospheric turbulence effects

Sathyanarayana Prabhu Adepu; David Voelz; Shashank Avula; Santasri Basu

doi:10.1117/12.682397

7 September 2006 Estimation of beam pointing parameters using return signal statistics: atmospheric turbulence effects

Sathyanarayana Prabhu Adepu, David Voelz, Shashank Avula, Santasri Basu

Proceedings Volume 6307, Unconventional Imaging II; 630705 (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.682397
Event: SPIE Optics + Photonics, 2006, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Beam pointing is critical for laser ranging and imaging applications. Recently a technique has been developed that applies maximum likelihood estimation theory to estimate beam pointing parameters namely jitter and boresight from the statistics of the signal reflected from the target. In this paper we investigate the effect of atmospheric turbulence on this estimator through a wave optics computer simulation. The estimator was developed for vacuum propagation of a Gaussian beam, so its performance under these conditions was unknown. It was found that the estimator tends to provide a value that is associated with a combination of mechanical beam jitter and turbulence wander effects. In general, the estimator produces a value that is larger than the mechanical jitter. This work leads the way to a new estimator that incorporates both mechanical jitter and turbulence effects.

Citation Download Citation

Sathyanarayana Prabhu Adepu, David Voelz, Shashank Avula, and Santasri Basu "Estimation of beam pointing parameters using return signal statistics: atmospheric turbulence effects", Proc. SPIE 6307, Unconventional Imaging II, 630705 (7 September 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.682397

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