Computer analysis of the schlieren optical setup

In order to evaluate the influence of each component of the Schlieren optical setup, this work tries to simulate the whole setup by a computer, so that one can get an immediate computer image after adjusting the component. The analysis is based on the ray tracing method. All rays are traced from the light source to the recording plane, so that all components in the light path can be investigated. In our analysis, Schlieren optical setup is decomposed to two main modules, illuminating and recording optical setups. Each module contains typical optical arrangements that are commonly used. The numerical models devised for the optical arrangements are proposed, and a few results indicating the effect of the shape and the orientation of a cutoff are shown.