Permanence of the Log-Normal Distribution*

Abstract

The distribution of the sum of log-normal variates is shown for most cases of interest to be very accurately represented by a log-normal distribution instead of a normal or Rayleigh distribution that might be expected from the central-limit theorem. As a result, observation of the log-normal distribution for the fluctuations of flux received after propagation through a random medium can be readily explained, regardless of the size of the receiving aperture.