Probability density of strong intensity fluctuations of laser radiation in a weakly absorbing random medium

Based on the quasi-optic parabolic equation, we derived analytically an expression for the probability density of strong intensity fluctuations of radiation propagating in a random attenuating medium. This probability density is compared with that obtained experimentally. It is shown that the agreement between the theory and the experiment in the entire range of variations in the radiation intensity is achieved by the combined account for the effect of small random attenuation on the radiation propagation and the action of noises on the radiation receiver.