Image transfer through cirrus clouds. I. Ray trace analysis and wave-front reconstruction.
A new technique for modeling image transfer through cirrus clouds is presented. The technique uses a ray trace to model beam propagation through a three-dimensional volume of polydisperse, hexagonal ice crystals. Beyond the cloud, the technique makes use of standard Huygens-Fresnel propagation methods. At the air-cloud interface, each wave front is resolved into a ray distribution for input to the ray trace software. Similarly, a wave front is reconstructed from the output ray distribution at the cloud-air interface. Simulation output from the ray trace program is presented and the modulation transfer function for stars imaged through cirrus clouds of varying depths is discussed.
Landesman
B T
BT
Applied Technology Associates, 1900 Randolph, SE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87106, USA. landesma@aptec.com
Kindilien
P J
PJ
Matson
C L
CL
Caudill
T R
TR