This 2nd edition lays out an updated version of the general theory of light propagation and imaging through Earth’s turbulent atmosphere initially developed in the late ‘70s and ‘80s, with additional applications in the areas of laser communications and high-energy laser beam propagation. New material includes a chapter providing a comprehensive mathematical tool set for precisely characterizing image formation with the anticipated Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTS), enabling a staggering range of star image shapes and sizes; existing chapters rewritten or modified so as to supplement the mathematics with clearer physical insight through written and graphical means; a history of the development of present-day understanding of light propagation and imaging through the atmosphere as represented by the general theory described. Beginning with the rudimentary, geometrical-optics based understanding of a century ago, it describes advances made in the 1960s, including the development of the ‘Kolmogorov theory,’ the deficiencies of which undermined its credibility, but not before it had done enormous damage, such as construction of a generation of underperforming ‘light bucket’ telescopes. The general theory requires no a priori turbulence assumptions. Instead, it provides means for calculating the turbulence properties directly from readily-measurable properties of star images.

This 2nd edition lays out an updated version of the general theory of light propagation and imaging through Earth's turbulent atmosphere initially developed in the late '70s and '80s, with additional applications in the areas of laser communications and high-energy laser beam propagation. New material includes a chapter providing a comprehensive mathematical tool set for precisely characterizing image formation with the anticipated Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTS), enabling a staggering range of star image shapes and sizes; existing chapters rewritten or modified so as to supplement the mathematics with clearer physical insight through written and graphical means; a history of the development of present-day understanding of light propagation and imaging through the atmosphere as represented by the general theory described. Beginning with the rudimentary, geometrical-optics based understanding of a century ago, it describes advances made in the 1960s, including the development of the 'Kolmogorov theory,' the deficiencies of which undermined its credibility, but not before it had done enormous damage, such as construction of a generation of underperforming 'light bucket' telescopes. The general theory requires no a priori turbulence assumptions. Instead, it provides means for calculating the turbulence properties directly from readily-measurable properties of star images.

Optical Remote Sensing is one of the main technologies used in sea surface monitoring. Optical Remote Sensing of Ocean Hydrodynamics investigates and demonstrates capabilities of optical remote sensing technology for enhanced observations and detection of ocean environments. It provides extensive knowledge of physical principles and capabilities of optical observations of the oceans at high spatial resolution, 1-4m, and on the observations of surface wave hydrodynamic processes. It also describes the implementation of spectral-statistical and fusion algorithms for analyses of multispectral optical databases and establishes physics-based criteria for detection of complex wave phenomena and hydrodynamic disturbances including assessment and management of optical databases. This book explains the physical principles of high-resolution optical imagery of the ocean surface, discusses for the first time the capabilities of observing hydrodynamic processes and events, and emphasizes the integration of optical measurements and enhanced data analysis. It also covers both the assessment and the interpretation of dynamic multispectral optical databases and includes applications for advanced studies and nonacoustic detection. This book is an invaluable resource for researches, industry professionals, engineers, and students working on cross-disciplinary problems in ocean hydrodynamics, optical remote sensing of the ocean and sea surface remote sensing. Readers in the fields of geosciences and remote sensing, applied physics, oceanography, satellite observation technology, and optical engineering will learn the theory and practice of optical interactions with the ocean.

The material in this Field Guide is a condensed version of similar material found in two textbooks: Laser Beam Propagation through Random Media (SPIE Vol. PM53) and Laser Beam Scintillation with Applications (SPIE Vol. PM99). Topics chosen for this concise presentation include a review of classical Kolmogorov turbulence theory, Gaussian-beam waves in free space, and atmospheric effects on a propagating optical wave. These atmospheric effects have great importance in a variety of applications like imaging, free space optical communications, laser radar, and remote sensing. This Guide presents tractable mathematical models from which the practitioner can readily determine beam spreading, beam wander, spatial coherence radius (Fried's parameter), angle of arrival fluctuations, scintillation, aperture averaging effects, fade probabilities, bit error-rates, and enhanced backscatter effects, among others.

Numerical Simulation of Optical Wave Propagation is solely dedicated to wave-optics simulations. The book discusses digital Fourier transforms (FT), FT-based operations, multiple methods of wave-optics simulations, sampling requirements, and simulations in atmospheric turbulence.

Light and light based technologies have played an important role in transforming our lives via scientific contributions spanned over thousands of years. In this book we present a vast collection of articles on various aspects of light and its applications in the contemporary world at a popular or semi-popular level. These articles are written by the world authorities in their respective fields. This is therefore a rare volume where the world experts have come together to present the developments in this most important field of science in an almost pedagogical manner. This volume covers five aspects related to light. The first presents two articles, one on the history of the nature of light, and the other on the scientific achievements of Ibn-Haitham (Alhazen), who is broadly considered the father of modern optics. These are then followed by an article on ultrafast phenomena and the invisible world. The third part includes papers on specific sources of light, the discoveries of which have revolutionized optical technologies in our lifetime. They discuss the nature and the characteristics of lasers, Solid-state lighting based on the Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology, and finally modern electron optics and its relationship to the Muslim golden age in science. The book’s fourth part discusses various applications of optics and light in today's world, including biophotonics, art, optical communication, nanotechnology, the eye as an optical instrument, remote sensing, and optics in medicine. In turn, the last part focuses on quantum optics, a modern field that grew out of the interaction of light and matter. Topics addressed include atom optics, slow, stored and stationary light, optical tests of the foundation of physics, quantum mechanical properties of light fields carrying orbital angular momentum, quantum communication, and Wave-Particle dualism in action.