For optical propagation through the turbulent atmosphere, the angle of arrival (AOA) cross-correlation function obtained from two spatially separated light sources carries information regarding the transverse wind velocity averaged along the propagation path. Two methods for the retrieval of the beam transverse horizontal wind velocity, v_t, based on the estimation of the time delay to the peak and the slope at zero lag of the AOA cross-correlation function, are presented. Data collected over a two week long experimental campaign conducted at the Boulder Atmospheric Observatory (BAO) site near Erie, CO was analyzed. The RMS difference between 10 s estimates of v_t retrieved optically, and 10 s averages of the transverse horizontal wind velocity measured by an ultrasonic anemometer, was found to be 14 cm/s for the time-delay-to- peak method and 20 cm/s for the slope-at-zero-lag method, for a 2 h period beginning 0345 MDT on 16 June, 2010, during which the transverse horizontal wind velocity varied between -1 m/s and 2 m/s.

The atmospheric lightwave propagation is considerably influenced by the random variations in the refractive index of air pockets due to turbulence. This undesired effect significantly degrades the performance of free-space optical (FSO) communication systems. Interestingly, the severity of such random degradations is highly related to the range of atmospheric propagation. In this thesis, we introduce relay-assisted FSO communications as a very promising technique to combat the degradation effects of atmospheric turbulence. Considering different configurations of the relays, we quantify the outage behavior of the relay-assisted system and identify the optimum relaying scheme. We further optimize the performance of the relay-assisted FSO system subject to some power constraints and provide optimal power control strategies for different scenarios under consideration. Moreover, an application of FSO relaying technique in quantum communications is investigated. The results demonstrate impressive performance improvements for the proposed relay-assisted FSO systems with respect to the conventional direct transmission whether applied in a classical or a quantum communication channel.

The atmospheric lightwave propagation is considerably influenced by the random variations in the refractive index of air pockets due to turbulence. This undesired effect significantly degrades the performance of free-space optical (FSO) communication systems. Interestingly, the severity of such random degradations is highly related to the range of atmospheric propagation. In this thesis, we introduce relay-assisted FSO communications as a very promising technique to combat the degradation effects of atmospheric turbulence. Considering different configurations of the relays, we quantify the outage behavior of the relay-assisted system and identify the optimum relaying scheme. We further optimize the performance of the relay-assisted FSO system subject to some power constraints and provide optimal power control strategies for different scenarios under consideration. Moreover, an application of FSO relaying technique in quantum communications is investigated. The results demonstrate impressive performance improvements for the proposed relay-assisted FSO systems with respect to the conventional direct transmission whether applied in a classical or a quantum communication channel.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Despite recorded mountain wave related aircraft accidents in South Africa, very little literature exists on South African mountain waves. This study discusses the results of a mountain wave study in the Hex River Mountains in the Western Cape province of South Africa. The aim of this study was to measure mountain wave turbulence on the lee side of the mountains by conducting weather balloon soundings on the upwind and lee sides of the mountains. These soundings were performed over four days in the winter and spring, with each field day representing different synoptic scale weather conditions. Lee wave rotors were detected from several of the lee wave soundings. Significant values of horizontal vorticity around a north-south axis (y-component horizontal vorticity) were detected. The instrumentation was highly sensitive and able to measure even weak up and downdraft velocities associated with the rotors. Strong downdrafts were measured some mountain waves, but no strong downdrafts were detected near rotors which occurred below the mountain waves. The two dimensional positions of balloons were only available after a considerable amount of reanalysis. If this data can be made available onsite shortly after soundings, it can be used to decide where to move launch sites to, in order to obtain optimal results. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ten spyte van gedokumenteerde berggolf-verwante vliegongelukke, bestaan baie min literatuur oor Suid Afrikaanse berggolwe. Hierdie tesis bespreek die resultate van ‘n berggolfstudie in die Hexrivier Berge in the Weskaap Provinsie van Suid- Afrika. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die berggolfturbulensie aan die lykant van die berge te meet deur middel van weerballonopstygings aan beide die winden lykante van die berge. Hierdie opstygings is oor ‘n tydperk van vier winter en lente dae uitgevoer, met elkeen van die dae wat verskillende sinoptiese weersomstandighede verteenwoordig het. Rotors is waargeneem in die data van verskeie ballonopstygings wat aan die lykant uitgevoer is. Beduidende waardes van horisontale vortisiteit rondom ‘n noord-suid as (y-komponent horisontale vortisiteit) is gemeet. Die instrumentasie was hoogs sensitief en kon selfs swak op- en afstrominge meet. Sterk afstrominge is waargeneem in berggolwe, maar nie in die omgewing van rotors wat onmder die berggolwe voorgekom het nie. Die twee-dimensionele posisies van ballonne was slegs na aansienlike heranaliese van die data beskikbaar. Indien hierdie data kort na opstygings beskikbaar is tydens veldwerk, kan dit help met besluite oor alternatiewe posisies waarvandaan ballonopstygings gedoen kan word ten einde optimale resultate te bekom.

The degradation of astronomical images caused by atmospheric turbulence will be much more severe in the next generation of terrestrial telescopes and its compensation will require deformable mirrors with up to tens-of-thousands of actuators.<p>Current designs for these correctors consist of scaling up the proven technologies of flexible optical plates deformed under the out-of-plane action of linear actuators. This approach will lead to an exponential growth of cost with the number of actuators, and in very complex mechanisms.<p><p>This thesis proposes a new concept of optical correction which is modular, robust, lightweight and low-cost and is based on the bimorph in-plane actuation.<p><p>The adaptive mirror consists of segmented identical hexagonal bimorph mirrors allowing to indefinitely increase the degree of correction while maintaining the first mechanical resonance at the level of a single segment and showing an increase in price only proportional to the number of segments.<p><p>Each bimorph segment can be mass-produced by simply screen-printing an array of thin piezoelectric patches onto a silicon wafer resulting in very compact and lightweight modules<p>and at a price essentially independent from the number of actuators.<p><p>The controlled deformation of a screen-printed bimorph mirror was experimentally achieved with meaningful optical shapes and appropriate amplitudes; its capability for compensating turbulence was evaluated numerically. The generation of continuous surfaces<p>by an assembly of these mirrors was numerically simulated and a demonstrator of concept consisting of 3 segments was constructed. / Doctorat en Sciences de l'ingénieur / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

The work explores ways to generate the OFDM signal and LDPC channel coding methods. Describes the creation of basic modules of the communication system in Matlab and simulation methods for atmospheric transmission environment, including effects of turbulence, attenuation along the route and weather conditions on the transmitted signal.

The aim of this thesis is to study the methods of a free space optical link design and its application in the communication technologies. The thesis describes possible intrusive influences on the transmitted optical signal, which are the signal noise, atmospheric attenuation and atmospheric turbulences. The thesis is particulary focused on the influence of the atmospheric turbulences and atmospheric attenuation on the optical beam.

The thesis analyzes the optical laser range finders in real propagation environments. Itdescribes the various parts of optical laser range finders their properties and principles in relation to their performance balance. The paper presents the basic optical properties of lenses used in the transmitter and receiver. A separate chapter is devoted to the transit time method and factors influencing the measurement. The proportional directional reflectance analysisis a part of the thesis. In conclusion, the thesis contains the practical laboratory measurements of the relative directional reflectance of different materials and colors, and verification of the power level diagram.

Dizertačná práca je zameraná na štúdium a analýzu rozloženia optickej intenzity v laserovom zväzku v rovine vysielacej (TXA) a prijímacej apertúry (RXA), ktorý podlieha zmenám ako pri šírení voľným priestorom, tak pri šírení atmosférou. Cieľom práce je nájsť optimálne rozloženie optickej intezity v rovine vysielacej apertúry, ktoré bude minimálne ovplyvnené apertúrou vysielača a atmosférickými turbulenciami. Za účelom analýzy šírenia optickej vlny atmosférou bola využitá simulácia založená na metóde Split-Step. Šírenie Flattened Gaussian zväzku bolo analyzované pre režim slabých a stredných turbulencií. Práca sa zaoberá použitím multimódového vlákna s veľkým priemerom jadra ako tvarujúceho elementu a obsahuje návrh refrakčného tvarovača, pomocou ktorého je možno konvertovať Gaussovský zväzok na zväzok s uniformným rozložením optickej intenzity. Nakoniec je pomocou získaných poznatkov zostavený plne fotonický vysielač a prijímač, ktorých použitie spočíva v generovaní a príjmaní optickej koherentnej vlny prenášajúcej presnú fázu.

L'interférométrie visible longue base est une technique d'observation en astronomie permettant de sonder les objets avec une résolution spatiale qu'il est impossible d'atteindre avec un télescope seul. La mise en œuvre au sol de cette méthode est limitée en sensibilité et précision de mesure à cause de la turbulence atmosphérique. Or les nouveaux besoins scientifiques, tels que la détermination des paramètres fondamentaux, l'étude de l'environnement proche ou de la surface des étoiles, requièrent la capacité d'observer des objets de moins en moins brillants et de faire des mesures de plus en plus précises, en interférométrie visible. Pour s'affranchir de la turbulence, l'interférométrie multimode a été développée en reprenant le concept de l'interférométrie des tavelures utilisée sur un seul télescope. Aujourd'hui, pour améliorer davantage les performances des futurs instruments, cette instrumentation évolue vers l'utilisation de la nouvelle génération de détecteur, l'Electron Multiplying Charge-Coupled Device (EMCCD), et de l'emploi des fibres optiques interfacées avec des optiques adaptatives. Cette avancée est motivée par le succès de l'utilisation conjointe de l'optique adaptative et du suivi de franges pour s'affranchir partiellement de la turbulence en interférométrie infrarouge, en 2017 avec l'instrument GRAVITY (Gravity Collaboration et al. 2017). Le prototype FRIEND (Fibered and spectrally Resolved Interferometer - New Design) a été conçu pour caractériser et évaluer les performances de la combinaison de ces éléments, dans le domaine visible. L'amélioration de la précision des instruments interférométriques est apportée par les fibres optiques et par la dynamique du signal délivré par une EMCCD. L'inconvénient de l'emploi des fibres dans le visible est une perte de la sensibilité du fait que le taux d'injection du flux dans celles-ci est très faible à cause de la turbulence atmosphérique. Mais il se trouve que l'optique adaptative et l'EMCCD permettent d'améliorer la sensibilité. En effet, l'optique adaptative maximise l'injection en réduisant l'influence de la turbulence atmosphérique, et l'EMCCD est capable de détecteur de faibles flux. FRIEND prépare ainsi le développement du futur instrument SPICA, recombinant jusqu'à six télescopes (Mourard et al. 2017, 2018). Celui-ci devra explorer la stabilisation des interférences grâce au suivi de franges. Cet aspect n'est pas abordé dans cette thèse. Je présente dans cette thèse le prototype FRIEND, capable de recombiner jusqu'à trois télescopes, opérant dans la bande R en franges dispersées. Il est doté de fibres optiques gaussiennes monomodes à maintien de polarisation et d'une EMCCD. Il est installé sur l'interféromètre visible Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA), au Mount Wilson, en Californie, qui est en train de s'équiper d'optiques adaptatives. J'ai développé des estimateurs de visibilité et de clôture de phase, la méthode de réduction des données de ce prototype et une stratégie d'observation. Grâce à ces outils, j'ai montré que les optiques adaptatives améliorent le taux d'injection dans les fibres. Il est alors apparu que la stabilisation de l'injection est importante pour maximiser le rapport signal-à-bruit dans chaque image. La biréfringence des fibres dégrade les performances de l'instrument mais elle a pu être compensée. J'ai montré qu'un instrument, basé sur la conception de FRIEND, permet d'accéder à des mesures de visibilité faibles avec une précision, inatteignable avec la génération actuelle, grâce au développement et l'utilisation d'un modèle de rapport signal-à-bruit. L'instrument a enfin été testé dans son intégralité sur le système binaire connu ζ Ori A. Cette observation montre la fiabilité et la précision des mesures interférométriques obtenues avec ce prototype, montrant l'intérêt de cette association de technologies pour les futurs interféromètres visibles. / Long baseline visible interferometry in astronomy is an observing technique which allows to get insights of an object with an outstanding angular resolution, unreachable with single-dish telescope. Interferometric measurements with ground-based instrumentation are currently limited in sensitivity and precision due to atmospheric turbulence. However, the new astrophysical needs, particularly the determination of fundamental parameters or the study of the closed environment and the surface of the stars, require to observe fainter objects with a better precision than now in visible interferometry. Ought to overcome the atmospheric turbulence, multispeckle interferometry has been developed by adapting speckle imaging technics used on single-dish telescope. Today, in order to improve the performance of the future combiners, instrumentation progresses to the use of a new generation detector called EMCCD, and the use of optical fibers which are coupled with adaptive optics. This path is chosen thank to the success of the use of the adaptive optics with the fringe tracking in the infrared interferometry in 2017 (Gravity Collaboration et al. 2017), in order to compensate turbulence. FRIEND prototype (Fibered and spectrally Resolved Interferometer - New Design) has been designed to characterize and estimate the performance of such a combination of technologies, in the visible spectral band. The improvement of the precision of the measurements from interferometric instruments is due to optical fibers and the dynamical range of the EMCCD. The counterpart of using the optical fibers is a loss in sensitivity due to a low injection rate of flux into the fibers because of the atmospheric turbulence. On the other hand, sensitivity is improved thanks to adaptive optics and EMCCDs. Indeed, adaptive optics increases the injection rate and EMCCDs can measure low fluxes. Lastly, FRIEND is a pathfinder for the future instrument SPICA which should recombine up to 6 telescopes (Mourard et al. 2017, 2018). Fringe-tracking aspects will have to be studied for SPICA; this topic is not dealt with in this thesis. In this work, I present the FRIEND prototype, which can recombine up to three telescopes and operates in the R band with dispersed fringes. It has Gaussian polarization-maintaining single mode optical fibers and an EMCCD. It is set up at the Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA), at Mount Wilson, in California. CHARA is currently being equipped with adaptive optics. I develop estimators of visibility modulus and closure phase, the data reduction software and an observing strategy. Thanks to that, I am able to show that adaptive optics improves the injection rate. I also demonstrate how important the stabilization of injection is to maximize the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) per frame. Birefringence of the fibers decreases the performance of the instrument but we manage to compensate it. I show how such an instrument can measure low visibility with a better precision than now by developing and using a SNR model of FRIEND. Finally, FRIEND has entirely been tested on the known binary system ζ Ori A. These observations demonstrate how reliable and accurate the measurements of FRIEND are.