Synopses & Reviews
Caustics, Catastrophes and Wave Fields in a sense continues the treatment of the earlier volume 6 "Geometrical Optics of Inhomogeneous Media" in the present book series, by analysing caustics and their fields on the basis of modern catastrophe theory. This volume covers the key generalisations of geometrical optics related to caustic asymptotic expansions: The Lewis-Kravtsov method of standard functions, Maslov's method of canonical operators, Orlov's method of interference integrals, as well as their modifications for penumbra, space-time, random and other types of caustics. All the methods are amply illustrated by worked problems concerning relevant wave-field applications.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. [202]-213) and index.
Table of Contents
Introduction.- Rays and Caustics.- Caustics as Catastrophes.- Typical Integrals of Catastrophy Theory.- Uniform Caustic Asymptotics Derived with Standard Integrals.- Maslov's Method of the Canonical Operator.- Method of Interference Integrals.- Penumbra Caustics.- Modifications and Generalizations of Standard Integrals and Functions.-Caustics Revisited.