STATISTICS OF WAVES PROPAGATING IN A RANDOM MEDIUM

The statistics of coherent radiation propagating in a random medium is analyzed in the framework of diagrammatic techniques. The distribution function for radiation intensity is calculated and it is shown that only for small values of intensity is the distribution function a simple exponential, as predicted by Rayleigh statistics. For larger values of intensity, the distribution function differs drastically from a simple exponential, and exhibits the asymptotic behavior of a stretched exponential. The results obtained are confirmed by numerical simulations.