Qualitative theory of amplitude and phase fluctuations in a medium with anisotropic turbulent irregularities

Abstract Wave propagation in an anisotropic turbulent medium is studied assuming that the anisotropy coefficient η is constant for all scales of inhomogeneities. A qualitative method of studying the amplitude and phase fluctuations is developed. Formulae have been obtained for the phase structure functions and scintillation index for the medium with spectrum power index 3<μ<5 and anisotropy coefficient η≥1. Two particular cases have been studied in detail—propagation along and across the axis of the stretching of irregularities. During propagation along a short axis of inhomogeneities the fluctuations are decreasing and the phase structure function and scintillation index turn out to be ημ−2 times smaller as compared with isotropic case. At the same time, during propagation along the long axis of inhomogeneities the phase structure function in vertical plane and the scintillation index are η times greater than in the isotropic medium.