Schlieren & Shadowgraph Methods

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Models of Light
Physical (wave) model Wave Peaks

V c o 3x10 8 m/s

Geometric model

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Light Rays

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Light From a Point Source

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Speed of Light in a Medium

Index of Refraction:

n
Typical values: Medium Air Water Plexiglas Diamond
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co c

c = speed of light in the medium For gases:

n = co/c 1.0003 1.33 1.51 2.42

n 1 k

Crown glass 1.52

= gas density
k = 0.23 cm3/g for air

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Light Refraction
1 n1 n 2
Medium 1

n1sin 1 n 2sin 2

Snells Law:

Medium 2

2
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Example, Refraction in Water

Water Surface

Pole
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Lenses
Focus

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Lenses

Point Source

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Direct Shadowgraphy

Point Source

Bubble of high density gas

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Shadowgraph Image

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Some Math
y

y
x z

L n n y

or

y kL n

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The Basic Schlieren System

Point Source

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The Real Schlieren System

Extended Source

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Schlieren Image

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Schlieren vs. Shadowgraph

Shadowgraph
Displays a mere shadow Shows light ray displacement 2 Illuminance level responds to n x 2 No knife edge used

Schlieren
Displays a focused image Shows ray refraction angle, n Illuminance level responds to x Knife edge used for cutoff

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Mirrors

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ISUs Z-type Schlieren System

Light Source

1st Field Mirror

2nd Field Mirror

Test Section
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Screen/Instrument Panel

Knife Edge

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Light Source
Condenser Lens Lamp

A-A

Section A-A

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Setting Up The Schlieren System

Step 1: Find the focal length of the field mirrors

Focal Length

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Setting Up The Schlieren System

Step 2: Set up the first field mirror
Light Source

1st Field Mirror

Test Section
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Setting Up The Schlieren System

Step 3: Set up the second field mirror
Light Source

1st Field Mirror

2nd Field Mirror

Test Section
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Screen/Instrument Panel

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Setting Up The Schlieren System

Step 4: Set up the knife edge

Focus the source image on the knife

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Adjust the cutoff

Obtain a uniform darkening of the image

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Uniform Darkening

Knife edge too close to second field mirror

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Knife edge too far from second field mirror

Uniform darkening

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Some Notes
The angle between the illuminator axis and the collimated beam should be kept to a minimum
Coma: Smearing of the mirror focus into a comet shape (cancelled out by tilting the mirrors in opposite directions, i.e. z-type system) Astigmatism: Changes the focus into two short lines perpendicular to each other (limited by orienting the knife edge the same as the light source)

A sheet of white paper is a good alignment tool A threaded bolt works well as a focusing tool

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References
G.S. Settles, Schlieren & Shadowgraph Techniques, Springer-Verlag, 2001. D.C. Giancoli, Physics for Scientists & Engineers, Prentice Hall, 1988.

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