""A fine little book ... much more readable and enjoyable than any of the extant specialized texts on the subject."" - American Journal of Physics.A clear and straightforward introduction to the Fourier principles behind modern optics, this text is appropriate for advanced undergraduate and graduate students. The first five chapters introduce several principles within the context of physical optics. Imaging is discussed in terms of convolution and transfer functions as well as that of double Fourier transformation, and a variety of image processing techniques are described. Subsequent topics include image reconstruction from projections (medical imaging), focusing chiefly on X-ray computed tomography but with brief sections on emission computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasonic computed tomography. A chapter on interferometry starts with Michelson's interferometers and extends to the Fourier interpretation of visibility functions, developing the relationship between correlation, partial coherence, and fringe visibility; applications considered include radio and optical astronomy and Fourier transform spectroscopy.Helpful appendixes cover the application of frequency-domain analysis, convolution and correlation in communications, and maximum entropy data processing. Problems (with answers and guidance for the reader) appear in core chapters, and an extensive reference section and bibliography round out the text.
