Schlieren and Shadowgraph Techniques

Schlieren and shadowgraph techniques are basic and valuable tools in various scientific and engineering disciplines. They allow us to see the invisible: the optical inhomogeneities in transparent media like air, water, and glass that otherwise cause only ghostly distortions of our normal vision.

These techniques are discussed briefly in many books and papers, but there is no up-to-date complete treatment of the subject before now. The book is intended as a practical guide for those who want to use these methods, as well as a resource for a broad range of disciplines where scientific visualization is important. The colorful 400-year history of these methods is covered in an extensive introductory chapter accessible to all readers.

• Ballistik
• Flow visualization
• Modelling
• Optische Verfahren
• REM
• STEM
• Schliere
• Schlieren optics
• Schlieren photography
• Verbrennung
• Videografie
• Visualisierung
• instruments
• optics
• shadowgraph
• fluid- and aerodynamics

From the reviews of the first edition:

... This reviewer recommends Schlieren and Shadowgraph Techniques: Visualizing Phenomena in Transport Media to anyone interested in optical systems for flow visualization, and other studies benefiting from visualization of physical phenomena of transparent media. Even in the current period of competition for resources, an engineering librarian should carefully consider the customer's needs before deciding not to add this book to the library's collection. (from Applied Mechanics Reviews, 55, 4, B76, July 2002)

"If you use or are interested in schlieren or shadowgraph research, you really need this text. … This book not only covers the theory behind the techniques, but it also shows what is needed to get started, by showing how to design and setup a system." (IEEE Electrical Insulation Magazine, Vol. 19 (6), 2003)

"The author begins with an interesting description of historical background, beginning with the ‘micrografia’ of Hooke (1665). … After explaining basic concepts like the light propagation through inhomogeneous media, the distinction between schlieren and shadowgraph methods are pointed out. … It is an extremely useful book for the users of these techniques." (W. Wuest, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 987 (12), 2002)

"Schlieren and shadowgraph techniques are basic and valuable tools in various scientific and engineering disciplines. They allow us to see the invisible: the optical inhomogeneities in transparent media like air, water and glass that otherwise cause only ghostly distortions of our normal vision. This book is intended as a practical guide for those who want to use these methods, as well as a resource for a broad range of disciplines where scientific visualization is important." (ETDE – Energy Database, April, 2002)

• Gas Dynamics Laboratory, Penn State University, University Park, USA

  G. S. Settles