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LetApplying the parabolic wave equation to each factor givesIf $C(s)=⟨w(z)w(z+s)⟩$, Gaussian averaging at the screen givesStationarity makes this a function only of $s=z_1-z_2$. Since ${\partial }_{z_1}^2+{\partial }_{z_2}^2=2{\partial }_s^2$ on such functions,Writing ${\hat{M}}_0(q)$ for the Fourier transform of the screen value, the solution at arbitrary range is

The phase screen adds the phase accumulated across its thickness, so the reduced field just after the screen isFor a zero-mean random variable $w$ with a normal distribution and variance ${\sigma }^2$, its characteristic function givesThe same expression is approximately valid for a non-Gaussian weak fluctuation: the cumulant expansion begins with $-k^2{\xi }^2{\sigma }^2/2$, while higher cumulants give higher-order corrections.

For $x>0$, every realization obeys the parabolic wave equationLinearity permits ensemble averaging, soThe initial mean is independent of $z$, hence diffraction does not change it and $⟨E(x,z)⟩=\exp (-k^2{\xi }^2{\sigma }^2/2)$ for every $x\ge 0$.