Abstract
Measurements of the intensity of a light beam produced by a
laser source, reflected from a Spatial Light Modulator (SLM) and propagating
in a weakly turbulent maritime atmosphere have been carried out in a recent
campaign on the grounds of the US Naval Academy. The effect of the degree
of spatial coherence in the beam at the source plane (right after the reflection
from the SLM) on the Probability Density Function (PDF) of the intensity of
the propagating beam at a single fixed position in space is studied in detail.
The measured intensity histogram of the fluctuating intensity is compared
with the Gamma-Laguerre analytical model for the intensity PDF.
