Changes in the statistical properties of stochastic anisotropic electromagnetic beams on propagation in the turbulent atmosphere

We report analytic formulas for the elements of the 2 2 x cross-spectral density matrix of a stochastic electromagnetic anisotropic beam propagating through the turbulent atmosphere with the help of vector integration. From these formulas the changes in the spectral density (spectrum), in the spectral degree of polarization, and in the spectral degree of coherence of such a beam on propagation are determined. As an example, these quantities are calculated for a so-called anisotropic electromagnetic Gaussian Schell-model beam propagating in the isotropic and homogeneous atmosphere. In particular, it is shown numerically that for a beam of this class, unlike for an isotropic electromagnetic Gaussian Schell-model beam, its spectral degree of polarization does not return to its value in the source plane after propagating at sufficiently large distances in the atmosphere. It is also shown that the spectral degree of coherence of such a beam tends to zero with increasing distance of propagation through the turbulent atmosphere, in agreement with results previously reported for isotropic beams. (c) 2007 Optical Society of America.