Active interferometric method for construction of images of small objects observed across a turbulent atmosphere

A theoretical analysis is made of the method of synthesis of a complex Fourier spectrum of a distant small object observed across a turbulent atmosphere. The spectrum is synthesized by active interferometry involving illumination of the object by two collimated coherent light beams with two multiple wavelengths when transverse dimensions exceed the correlation radius of phase distortions in the turbulent atmosphere. It is shown that the modulus and the phase of the Fourier spectrum can be determined separately by averaging different characteristics of the recorded integrated intensity of the reflected radiation and by altering the spatial separation of the two collimated beams. An algorithm for practical realization of active interferometry is proposed for two variants of operation of the illumination source.