Theory of underwater LIDAR with a complex modulated illumination beam

The main effects accompanying the propagation of an initially narrow complex modulated light beam in sea water are studied. Sea water, with respect to modulation waves, is shown to be similar to a medium with frequency dispersion with respect to electromagnetic waves; in the medium, the effects of the time focusing of a wave packet are possible. Based on the self-similar small-angle solution to the equation of radiation transfer, we estimate spatial-temporal characteristics of pulse-signal amplitude modulated by a complex signal. We propose a scheme for constructing underwater LIDAR using a complex modulated illumination beam and the processing of a received echo signal. The processing allows the separation of the modulated component and its matched filtration. Values of possible delays and broadening of the separated echo signal caused by dispersion properties of sea water are estimated.