Effects of Adverse Weather on Free Space Optics

Abstract

The transmission of optical waves through the atmosphere can be severely hampered by adverse weather. This chapter is a state-of-the-art assessment of the models quantifying laser beam attenuation by fog and hydrometeors. The approach used here is, first, to set up a microphysical model of the interaction between an optical wave and the atmospheric particles, which works as a benchmark. Then, a number of empirical formulas used in the engineering practice are validated against the model. The former are based on simple relations between attenuation and easily accessible quantities, such as the visibility or the precipitation rate.