Propagation of the mutual coherence function for an infinite plane wave through a turbid medium

Abstract

By means of a series of Fourier and inverse Fourier transformations, and by recourse to simple physical arguments concerning statistical stationarity and isotropy and the linearity of the scattering process, we are able to show that the propagation of the mutual coherence function for a plane wave through a turbid medium is governed by a pair of linear, first-order, one-dimensional, simultaneous differential equations. A sample solution to the equation is presented, and it is shown from a limiting form of this solution how the turbidity parameters in the differential equation can be obtained from a single scattering analysis.