Outer scale of turbulence: comparison of different models

The calculation results obtained with different outer-scale dependent atmospheric turbulence models are presented. Three outer-scale models are considered: the exponential model, the von Karman model, and the Greenwood model. A generalization of the outer-scale models is suggested. The calculation results of the refractive-index structure functions and of the structure functions of phase and spatial–temporal Zernike coefficient characteristics are compared for the cases of different outer-scale models. In the case of Kolmogorov turbulence the analytical expressions for the temporal correlation functions and spectra of the Zernike coefficients are obtained. It is shown that all considered models give nearly the same results.