Calculating of optical path length in inhomogeneous media - An alternative method

Abstract

An alternative method for calculating of optical path length in inhomogeneous media is presented. This method may be used with the three component and the four component ray-trace schemes considered ealier2,3.The method is based on a series expansion of the refractive index of the medium for second ray-trace scheme divided by the third optical direction cosine as a function of six suitable ray-trace parameters from a given, three adjacent Runge-Kutta points. A comparison with previous method which was applied for the three component ray-trace scheme is made.