A Novel Platform to Study the Effect of Small-scale Turbulent Density Fluctuations on Underwater Imaging in the Ocean
Abstract
Optical signal transmission is an important component of numerous underwater applications, including visibility and electro-optical (EO) communication, and may be limited by changes in the index of refraction due to small-scale variations in temperature and salinity associated with turbulence. The 2011 Bahamas Optical Turbulence Experiment (BOTEX) was conducted to investigate this underwater "optical turbulence". Our novel platform consisted of a high-speed camera and optical target mounted on a 5m-long frame, along with several Nortek Vector Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter and PME Conductivity -Temperature probes. Data on the background turbulence was collected with a Rockland Oceanographic Vertical Microstructure Profiler. This study was the first effort attempting to collect turbulence measurements on a frame designed for the investigation of "optical turbulence" in the ocean. Despite the numerous challenges, the investigation of the effect of microstructure on underwater optics is needed for efforts aimed at mitigating its impact on EO transmissions and may help advance optical methods to quantify oceanic microstructure.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 29, 2015
- Accession Number
- ADA623124
Entities
People
- Alan Dean Weidemann
- Ewa Jarosz
- Sarah Woods
- Silvia Matt
- Weilin W. Hou
- Wesley Goode
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory