Abstract:
The evolution of the 4 x 4 matrix with elements being the scintillation indices of the single-point Stokes parameters of a stationary electromagnetic beam-like optical field in classic, weak atmospheric turbulence is revealed. It is shown that depending on the choice of the source parameters, the source-induced changes in the matrix elements of the propagating beam and those produced by turbulence can be either range-separated or conjoined. For theoretical analysis, the unified theory of coherence and polarization is used together with the extended Huygens-Fresnel integral approach. The results can be of interest for building robust communication and sensing systems operating in the presence of atmospheric fluctuations.