Average spreading of a Gaussian beam array in non-Kolmogorov turbulence

By using the rms beam width as the parameter to characterize the spreading property, the average spreading of Gaussian beam array propagates in non-Kolmogorov turbulence is studied. Numerical examples reveal that the beam width depends on the exponent value alpha, and the beam width in non-Kolmogorov turbulence is different from that in Kolmogorov turbulence with alpha = 3.667. The beam width also depends on the distance between adjacent beamlets, the inner and outer scale parameters of the non-Kolmogorov turbulence. The beam array spreads more significantly with smaller inner scale and larger outer scale parameters. (C) 2010 Optical Society of America