Estimation of C_n ²based on scintillation of fixed targets imaged through atmospheric turbulence

We define a pixel-based scintillation index for dynamic incoherent imaging of fixed high-contrast targets through atmospheric turbulence. We propose a simple setup to study this parameter varying the Cn 2constant in controlled laboratory conditions (weak fluctuation regime). We find the semi-empirical relationship between the pixel-based scintillation index and the index of refraction structure constant, which we then employ to estimate Cn 2successfully in an independent case in which this value was not known beforehand. © 2015 Optical Society of America.