Abstract

I review physics-based predictive modeling and novel multi-nesting computational techniques that resolve physical processes in shear-stratified atmospheric layers. Results on oscillating laser beams, spiral light beams and refractivity path bending for directed energy beams are predicted by solutions of the inhomogeneous paraxial wave equation in quadratic approximation. The effects of super-focusing and optical mirage phenomena induced by strong spatial variations of the mean-field refractive index are analyzed.

© 2013 Optical Society of America