MERGING - A NEW METHOD FOR TOMOGRAPHY THROUGH RANDOM-MEDIA

Multiple laser backscatter references (or guide stars) and optimal processing of the data are used to extend the useful diameter that is obtained with the use of a single laser backscatter reference for imaging at infinite conjugates. The results illustrate that the mean-square error in the estimated wave-front distortion E(2) is proportional to D-5/3 where D is the telescope diameter. For all the cases that are considered the results are expressible in the form E(2) = (D/d(0))(5/3), where the quantity d(0) is a measure of the useful diameter of the telescope. When nine references are used d(0) is triple the value that would be achieved with a single reference when a backscatter altitude of 20 km is used. The results illustrate the impact of varying the altitude, changing the number of refrences, having references at two altitudes, and introducing reference-position uncertainty.