Power law irregularities and their diffraction pattern

Abstract

The pattern scale in the reception plane has been calculated using refractive scattering approach. The calculations extend from weak scattering to strong scattering caused by the power law irregularities in an inhomogeneous medium. For weak scattering, i.e. for mean square phase fluctuations < 10 rad², the irregularity scale in the medium and pattern scale in the reception plane are comparable. With the increasing phase fluctuations, ratio of the pattern scale/irregularity scale reduces to a small fraction. These investigations apply to all situations of scattering of electromagnetic waves in any inhomogeneous medium. Some observations are interpreted in the light of these investigations which point to the fact that weak scintillation is caused by diffractive scattering and severe scintillation is caused by refractive scattering.