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Applied Math Masters Thesis Defense: Justyna Sotiris

Event Type: 
Colloquium
Speaker: 
Justyna Sotiris
Event Date: 
Monday, April 27, 2020 - 4:00pm
Location: 
GoToMeeting online
Audience: 
General PublicFaculty/StaffStudentsAlumni/Friends

Event Description: 

Applied Math MS student Justyna Sotiris will be defending her thesis on April 27, 2020, at 4 PM remotely through GoToMeeting; please see the related Department email for GoToMeeting information.

Laser Beam Propagation Over Long Distances in Turbulent Media

The propagation of lasers through different media is a broad topic of study and falls under the larger topic of wave propagation. The focus of this thesis is the development and analysis of a numerical computational model of line-of-sight beam propagation through a turbulent atmosphere over a long distance.  When a beam propagates through a turbulent atmosphere over a distance exceeding several kilometers it is now a strong fluctuation propagation, and there exist fewer robust methods to demonstrate how strong fluctuations affect the beam.  Beam propagation can be described by the Linear Schrodinger Equation (LSE). The fluctuations in the refractive index are mainly caused by random density fluctuations and this random turbulence is described using statistical methods.  In this report, a numerical solution of the LSE is solved using a split-step method, and the refractive index fluctuations are accounted for by a method of random phase screens. This solution was then implemented as a computational model. The analysis of the model consists of a convergence study in the resolution of the transverse propagation screens, as well as verification of expected theoretical behaviors, including the expected spectral density of the noise screens and initial Gaussian beam form.  As a result, the simulations revealed the giant fluctuations of laser intensity during propagation.

 

Justyna is a native New Mexican. She attended undergrad at UNM as well.  After graduation, she plans to continue work at Sandia National Labs.

Event Contact

Contact Name: Alexander Korotkevich

Contact Email: alexkor@math.unm.edu