Imaging through ground-level turbulence by fourier telescopy: simulations and preliminary experiments

Author: Nishantha Randunu Pathirannehelage Title: Imaging through ground-level turbulence by Fourier telescopy: simulations and preliminary experiments Institution: Florida Atlantic University Dissertation Advisor: Dr. William T. Rhodes Degree: Doctor of Philosophy Year: 2015 Fourier telescopy imaging is a recently-developed imaging method that relies on active structured-light illumination of the object. Reflected/scattered light is measured by a large “light bucket” detector; processing of the detected signal yields the magnitude and phase of spatial frequency components of the object reflectance or transmittance function. An inverse Fourier transform results in the image. In 2012 a novel method, known as time-average Fourier telescopy (TAFT), was introduced by William T. Rhodes as a means for diffraction-limited imaging through ground-level atmospheric turbulence. This method, which can be applied to long horizontal-path terrestrial imaging, addresses a need that is not solved by the adaptive optics methods being used in astronomical imaging. Field-experiment verification of the TAFT concept requires instrumentation that is not available at Florida Atlantic University. The objective of this doctoral research program