title: Enhanced backscatter of optical beams reflected in turbulent air.
abstract: Optical beams propagating through air acquire phase distortions from turbulent fluctuations in the refractive index. While these distortions are usually deleterious to propagation, beams reflected in a turbulent medium can undergo a local recovery of spatial coherence and intensity enhancement referred to as enhanced backscatter (EBS). Here we validate the commonly used phase screen simulation with experimental results obtained from lab-scale experiments. We also verify theoretical predictions of the dependence of the turbulence strength on EBS. Finally, we present a novel algorithm called the "tilt-shift method" which allows detection of EBS in frozen turbulence, reducing the time required to detect the EBS signal.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Palastro
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Davis