US 7,352,476 B2
Device for detecting atmospheric turbulence
Bertrand Baillon, Valence (France); Laurence Mutuel, Saint Vincent la Commanderie (France); and Jean-Pierre Schlotterbeck, Rochefort-Samson (France)
Assigned to Thales, (France)
Filed on Dec. 22, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/313,663.
Claims priority of application No. 04 13836 (FR), filed on Dec. 23, 2004.
Prior Publication US 2006/0139657 A1, Jun. 29, 2006
Int. Cl. G01B 9/02 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 356—519 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device for detecting atmospheric turbulence, comprising a laser emission source, optical means for collecting a backscattered beam that is backscattered by targets illuminated by the emission source, the backscattered beam being substantially centred about the wavelength of the emission source, and means for generating interference fringes resulting from the backscattered beam, a spatial filter allowing only a central spot of the interference fringes to be seen and, at the centre of the spatial filter, a mask for blocking off the centre of the central spot.