Feasibility study for the simulation of beam propagation: consideration ofcoherent lidar performance

To analyze the effects of atmospheric refractive turbulence on coherent lid ar performance in a realistic way it is necessary to consider the use of si mulations of beam propagation in three-dimensional random media. The capabi lity of the split-step solution to simulate the propagation phenomena is sh own, and the limitations and numerical requirements for a simulation of giv en accuracy are established. Several analytical theories that describe lase r beam spreading, beam wander, coherence diameters, and variance and autoco rrelation of the beam intensity are compared with results from simulations. Although the analysis stems from a study of coherent lidar performance, th e conclusions of the method are applicable to other areas related to beam p ropagation in the atmosphere. (C) 2000 Optical Society of America OCIS code s: 010.3640, 010.1300, 010.1330, 030.1670.