Experimental investigations of fluctuations of optical signals and disturbances in the atmosphere

An investigation was made of the statistical characteristics of signals and noise at the output of an optical detector placed at the end of a 500-m slightly inclined path. The probabilistic distribution law of the envelope of the background noise was determined for a single detector (receiver) aperture. A study was made of the distribution of the total signal in the case of coherent (linear) addition during direct tripled spatially separated detection for different degrees of atmospheric turbulence. An analysis was made of the experimental data.