Numerical simulations are carried out to evaluate the coherence concept’s effect on the performance regarding the optical system, when observing and imaging the planet’s surface. In numerous optical approaches, the coherence qualities of light sources play an important role. This paper provides an overview about the mathematical formulation of temporal and spatial coherence and incoherence properties of light sources. The circular aperture was used to describe the optical system like a telescope. The simulation results show that diffraction-limited for incoherent imaging system certainly improves the image. Yet, the quality of the image is degraded by the light source's highly spatial and temporal coherence properties, resulting in a blurred image with certain parts unresolved, as well as destructive and constructive interference resulting in "ringing" features. When subjective fidelity criteria like PSNR, MSE, SNRrms, SR, R Closeness, and CORR are used to compare the resolution of incoherent and coherent imaging systems, incoherent imaging is often deemed to be "better”.
A theoretical model is developed to determine time evolution of temperature at the surface of an opaque target placed in air for cases characterized by the formation of laser supported absorption waves (LSAW) plasmas. The model takes into account the power temporal variation throughout an incident laser pulse, (i.e. pulse shape, or simply: pulse profile).
Three proposed profiles are employed and results are compared with the square pulse approximation of a constant power.