Intensity distribution for waves in disordered media: deviations from Rayleigh statistics

Abstract

We study the intensity distribution function, P(I), for monochromatic waves propagating in quasi one-dimensional disordered medium, assuming that a point source and a point detector are embedded in the bulk of the medium. We find deviations from the Rayleigh statistics at moderately large I and a logarithmically-normal asymptotic behavior of P(I). When the radiation source and the detector are located close to the opposite edges of the sample (on a distance much less then the sample length), an intermediate regime with a stretched-exponential behavior of P(I) emerges.