Geometric optics. Theory and design of astronomical optical systems using Mathematica (Q310901)

This is a comprehensive book on a variety of phenomena and basic elements of geometric optics with application in constructing astronomical optical telescopes. The clearly written text in 12+289 pages, organized in thirteen chapters, two appendices, references and index, is a useful reference not only for professional researchers in the field of geometrical optics but can also be interesting to graduate students and teachers at college level. Chapter 1 contains an introduction into centered optical systems from the point of view of Fermat's principle. Here one finds elements of ray tracing theory, explanations of image formation and chromatic aberration, and a set of exercises. Chapter 2 deals with many details of Gaussian optics related to single surfaces, compound systems, thick and thin lenses, optical invariants, and a set of exercises at the end. The third-order aberration is the subject of Chapter 3 where one finds, among others, details on the aberration function for a single surface and for compound systems, aberration formulae, and analyses of different types of aberration. Higher-order aberrations are analyzed in detail in Chapter 4 which includes aplanatism and aplanatic refractive surfaces, sine condition, light diffraction and Airy disc, among others. Chapters 5--7 are on details of optical features and characteristics of different types of astronomical telescopes and cameras, while Chapters 8--9 discuss optical properties of various combinations of optical systems (lenses and telescopes) used in astronomy. Chapters 10--11 are of theoretical nature, covering details of wave-front propagation according to Fermat's principle and the Hamiltonian approach in geometrical optics, respectively. Chapter 12 contains more details on theoretical treatment of aberration, angular function, reduced coordinates, and Schwarzschild's eikonal. The final Chapter 13 is an introduction to optics in anisotropic media with Maxwell's equations, derivation of refractive index, and application of Fermat's principle in the ray analysis. Appendices A and B provide additional mathematical clarifications about first order partial differential equations and symplectic vector spaces, respectively.