9308087 Plonus The extended Huygens-Fresnel principle is used to investigate superresolution effects in weak turbulence. Fundamental, analytical expressions for the average image spectrum of an extended object under monochromatic, unit amplitude plane wave illumination have been developed, and are the basis of this proposal. These expressions show that under certain conditions the superresolution effect can be observed. The criterion and physical model of superresolution effect will be established. The relationship between various parameters, such as: wavelength, strength of turbulence, the diameter of aperture lens, etc. will be investigated. The more general problem of superresolution effect in imaging through weak turbulence while the object is illuminated by a spatially partially coherent source will be explored. The effect of the degree of illuminating source coherence on superresolution will be investigated. The superresolution effect associated with look-up and look-down imaging system will be analyzed. The superresolution recovery techniques and procedures will be derived to extract the additional information contained in the image spectrum. Through this development, a clear picture of the superresolution effect caused by turbulent inhomogeneities will be established, which would lead to an introduction in the object image of some new features. ***
