Abstract

Light from an incoherently radiating object and background light are focused onto a photosensitive mosaic, the currents from whose elements constitute the data on which is based a least-squares linear estimate of the radiance at points in the object. By comparison of the mean-square error with that given by Wiener filtering theory, the equivalent noise spectral density for use in the latter is shown to consist of a shot-noise term and a term due to the random fluctuations of the incoherent light; the former predominates under most circumstances. Turbulent distortion of the image after passage of the rays through a random-phase screen is also treated from this standpoint.

© 1972 Optical Society of America

Detection and Resolution of Incoherent Objects Seen through a Turbulent Medium*

Carl W. Helstrom
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 59(3) 331-341 (1969)

Information Transfer from Incoherently Radiating Objects

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

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

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

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

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