Experimental method for the spatiotemporal investigation of atmospheric-turbulence-disturbed wave fronts

A method for the investigation of the spatiotemporal behavior of wave fronts is described. Two synchronized CCD cameras are used. Temporal resolution of ˜ 0.5 ms is realized without any loss of spatial resolution. This method was used to investigate the spatiotemporal behavior of an atmospheric-turbulence-disturbed wave front with a time separation of 1 ms. Using the Zemike expansion, we checked the validity of the Taylor hypothesis of “frozen turbulence” along a horizontal path. Our preliminary results show that there may be a lack of compatibility between the theory and the experiment. There are indications that higher-order Zemike terms result in higher wind speeds; further experiments to establish our findings therefore sire in progress.