Intensity fluctuations in ground-to-satellite laser beam transmission induced by atmospheric turbulence: reconsideration of strong fluctuation.

This paper reports beam wave intensity fluctuations in uplink (ground-to-satellite) laser beam transmission caused by atmospheric turbulence. Intensity fluctuation in the strong region was apparently induced by uplink measurement in previous experiments. Statistical values of the uplink fluctuation were estimated by numerical calculation using moment equation analysis with thin phase screen approximation. The beam profile of the uplink, the scintillation index, and the covariance of the uplink intensity fluctuation were calculated using models of the refractive index structure constant. The generation of strong intensity variation was explained as the result of a speckle pattern on the receiving plane at the satellite produced by atmospheric turbulence when scanned along with trajectory of the satellite.