  We demonstrate experimentally and numerically that the application of a
partially coherent beam (PCB) in combination with time averaging leads to a
significant reduction in the scintillation index. We use a simplified
experimental approach in which the atmospheric turbulence is simulated by a
phase diffuser. The role of the speckle size, the amplitude of the phase
modulation, and the strength of the atmospheric turbulence are examined. We
obtain good agreement between our numerical simulations and our experimental
results. This study provides a useful foundation for future applications of
PCB-based methods of scintillation reduction in physical atmospheres.
