Propagation of the degree of cross-polarization of a stochastic electromagnetic beam through the turbulent atmosphere

The behavior of the recently introduced spectral degree of cross-polarization of a stochastic electromagnetic beam-like field on propagation through the turbulent atmosphere is analyzed. Unlike the spectral degree of coherence, the degree of cross-polarization is generally unbounded and does not decrease with propagation distance. We support the analysis by numerical examples relating to two model sources: with uncorrelated and partially correlated mutually orthogonal transverse components of the electric field. (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier B.V.