Application of radiative image transfer theory to the assessment of the overall OTF and contrast degradation of an image in an inhomogeneous turbulent and turbid atmosphere

A perturbation-theoretic approximation of the radiative transfer equation which neglects photon dispersion is used as a modeling basis for the propagation of the image of a self-luminous target through a turbulent atmosphere which also possesses inhomogeneously distributed turbidity along the propagation path. A contrast ratio is then introduced which provides an indicator of the relative contribution of the unscattered or coherent image component to that of the scattered or incoherent image component. Analytical expressions are then derived for the contrast ratio from the approximate form of the radiative transfer equation in the case of an inhomogeneously dispersed Joss thunderstorm rain distribution in the presence of turbulence. The case is clearly demonstrated for the need to consider a measure of the points of demarcation at which the dominant roles of the scattering processes due to turbidity and turbulence are exchanged. Such a measure can provide a performance parameter for the application of adaptive optics methods that are specific to the particular dominant scattering mechanism given the prevailing target size, total propagation length and overall propagation parameters.