Abstract

A background-limited optical system is to view an object through a turbulent medium. The threshold systems for detecting and resolving specific details of the object are derived and their probabilities of correct detection and resolution evaluated. The variance of a maximum-likelihood estimate of the position of the object is calculated for large signal-to-noise ratio. Specific numerical results are given for turbulence that produces a gaussian mutual-coherence function in light from a point object. A model of such turbulence, depicting it as concentrated in one or more thin, homogeneous phase screens, is proposed.

© 1969 Optical Society of America

Detection and Resolution of Incoherent Objects by a Background-Limited Optical System*

Carl W. Helstrom
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 59(2) 164-175 (1969)

Modal Decomposition of Aperture Fields in Detection and Estimation of Incoherent Objects*

Carl W. Helstrom
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 60(4) 521-530 (1970)

Detection of Incoherent Objects by a Quantum-Limited Optical System*

Carl W. Helstrom
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 59(8) 924-936 (1969)

Information Transfer from Incoherently Radiating Objects

Carl W. Helstrom
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 60(12) 1608-1616 (1970)

Linear Restoration of Incoherently Radiating Objects

Carl W. Helstrom
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 62(3) 416-423 (1972)