Spatio-temporal speckle correlations for imaging in turbid media

Abstract

We discuss the far-field spatio-temporal cross-correlations of waves multiple-scattered in a turbid medium in which is embedded a hidden heterogeneous region (inclusion) characterized by a distinct scatterer dynamics (as compared to the rest of the medium). We show that the spatio-temporal correlation is affected by the inclusion which suggests a new method of imaging in turbid media. Our results allow qualitative interpretation in terms of diffraction theory: the cross-correlation of scattered waves behaves similarly to the intensity of a wave diffracted by an aperture.