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.

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.