Vol. 16, issue 12, article # 5

Abstract:

n this paper I have theoretically investigated the statistical characteristics of fluctuations of the optical transfer function of the "turbulent atmosphere-telescope" optical system when recording an averaged image. Such statistical characteristics of the optical transfer function fluctuations as the mean value, variance and correlation functions are calculated. The results obtained enable one to assess the image deterioration due to the effect of the atmospheric turbulence and, also, to introduce the quantitative estimation for the concepts of "very long" and "very short" exposures.