The effect on parametric instability growth of pump wave incoherence is treated by deriving a set of equations governing the space-time evolution of the ensemble-average coupled-mode amplitudes and intensities. Particular attention is paid to establi
shing the regions of validity of the statistical description. Thresholds, growth rates, and amplification rates are given for both spatially and temporally incoherent pump waves. Both absolutely and convectively unstable modes are considered. The statistical results are verified where appropriate by numerical integration of the coupled-mode equations with different models of pump incoherence.
