title: Statistics of polarization dependent loss in an installed long-haul WDM system.
abstract: We have made continual, multiple-day measurements of the polarization dependent loss of multiple C-band channels in an installed 1800 km terrestrial link. The PDLs of individual channels varied on the time-scale of hours, while the temporal variations of the PDLs of adjacent channels often tracked. The probability densities of the field measurements of PDL were not Maxwellian and instead were truncated, consistent with the limited number of elements in the link having appreciable PDL. A new model for the statistics of PDL in systems with few PDL elements is proposed, where a lower bound of the distribution exists if there is a dominant PDL element. The probability distributions from measurement and theory show good agreement.
authors: AT&T Laboratories-Research, Middletown, New Jersey 07748, USA. lenelson@research.att.com
authors: Lynn E
authors: LE
authors: Nelson
authors: Cristian
authors: C
authors: Antonelli
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Mecozzi
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Birk
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Magill
authors: Anton
authors: A
authors: Schex
authors: Lutz
authors: L
authors: Rapp
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008027:Light; D015233:Models, Statistical; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D013685:Telecommunications / Q000295:instrumentation*