Feasibility of remote estimation of optical turbulence via quick response code imaging

Turbulence estimation theory is presented and demonstrated by imaging a series of spatially encoded quick response (QR) codes in ambient radiation through atmospheric scintillation. This remote sensing concept was verified though preliminary feasibility experiments and detailed MATLAB simulations using QR codes displayed on a low-power digital e-ink screen. Of note, knowledge of propagation range and QR code dimensions are not required ahead of time, as each code contains information detailing its block size and overall physical size, enabling automated calculations of spatial resolution and target range. Estimation algorithms leverage the extracted resolution and range information to determine path-integrated optical turbulence, as quantified by the Fried parameter, r0. The estimation criterion is obtained by cycling a series of QR code sizes on an e-ink screen and determining the transition point at which the QR code can no longer be read, resulting in a system capable of automatically estimating path-integrated optical turbulence.