Numerical Background-Oriented Schlieren for Phase Reconstruction and Its Potential Applications

This study presents a comprehensive numerical framework for Background-Oriented Schlieren (BOS) to systematically evaluate its performance and reconstructive capabilities under complex flow conditions. This framework integrates two stages: forward modeling, using ray tracing to simulate image degrad...

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Main Authors: Shiwei Liu, Yichong Ren, Haiping Mei, Zhiwei Tao, Shuran Ye, Xiaoxuan Ma, Ruizhong Rao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Photonics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/12/7/626
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author Shiwei Liu
Yichong Ren
Haiping Mei
Zhiwei Tao
Shuran Ye
Xiaoxuan Ma
Ruizhong Rao
author_facet Shiwei Liu
Yichong Ren
Haiping Mei
Zhiwei Tao
Shuran Ye
Xiaoxuan Ma
Ruizhong Rao
author_sort Shiwei Liu
collection DOAJ
description This study presents a comprehensive numerical framework for Background-Oriented Schlieren (BOS) to systematically evaluate its performance and reconstructive capabilities under complex flow conditions. This framework integrates two stages: forward modeling, using ray tracing to simulate image degradation, and inverse processing, using optical flow and a conjugate gradient algorithm to extract displacements and reconstruct phase information. This method is first validated using turbulent flow fields in the Johns Hopkins Turbulence Database, where the reconstructed phase screens closely match the original data, with relative errors below 4% and structural similarity indices above 0.75 in all cases, providing a possible restoration method for degraded flow field images. It is then applied to shock wave fields with varying Mach numbers; this method achieves meaningful reconstruction at short ranges but fails under long-range imaging due to severe wavefront distortions. However, even in degraded conditions, the extracted optical flow fields preserve structural features correlated with the underlying shock patterns, indicating potential for BOS-based target recognition. These findings highlight both the capabilities and limitations of BOS and suggest new pathways for extending its use beyond traditional flow visualization.
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spelling doaj-art-7cb662cf4cf543bb9fada3b52090c7f72025-08-20T02:47:09ZengMDPI AGPhotonics2304-67322025-06-0112762610.3390/photonics12070626Numerical Background-Oriented Schlieren for Phase Reconstruction and Its Potential ApplicationsShiwei Liu0Yichong Ren1Haiping Mei2Zhiwei Tao3Shuran Ye4Xiaoxuan Ma5Ruizhong Rao6School of Environmental Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, ChinaSchool of Physics, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, ChinaKey Laboratory of Atmospheric Optics, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, ChinaKey Laboratory of Atmospheric Optics, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, ChinaKey Laboratory of Atmospheric Optics, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, ChinaSchool of Environmental Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, ChinaKey Laboratory of Atmospheric Optics, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, ChinaThis study presents a comprehensive numerical framework for Background-Oriented Schlieren (BOS) to systematically evaluate its performance and reconstructive capabilities under complex flow conditions. This framework integrates two stages: forward modeling, using ray tracing to simulate image degradation, and inverse processing, using optical flow and a conjugate gradient algorithm to extract displacements and reconstruct phase information. This method is first validated using turbulent flow fields in the Johns Hopkins Turbulence Database, where the reconstructed phase screens closely match the original data, with relative errors below 4% and structural similarity indices above 0.75 in all cases, providing a possible restoration method for degraded flow field images. It is then applied to shock wave fields with varying Mach numbers; this method achieves meaningful reconstruction at short ranges but fails under long-range imaging due to severe wavefront distortions. However, even in degraded conditions, the extracted optical flow fields preserve structural features correlated with the underlying shock patterns, indicating potential for BOS-based target recognition. These findings highlight both the capabilities and limitations of BOS and suggest new pathways for extending its use beyond traditional flow visualization.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/12/7/626Background-Oriented Schlierenray tracingoptical flow analysisphase screen reconstruction
spellingShingle Shiwei Liu
Yichong Ren
Haiping Mei
Zhiwei Tao
Shuran Ye
Xiaoxuan Ma
Ruizhong Rao
Numerical Background-Oriented Schlieren for Phase Reconstruction and Its Potential Applications
Photonics
Background-Oriented Schlieren
ray tracing
optical flow analysis
phase screen reconstruction
title Numerical Background-Oriented Schlieren for Phase Reconstruction and Its Potential Applications
title_full Numerical Background-Oriented Schlieren for Phase Reconstruction and Its Potential Applications
title_fullStr Numerical Background-Oriented Schlieren for Phase Reconstruction and Its Potential Applications
title_full_unstemmed Numerical Background-Oriented Schlieren for Phase Reconstruction and Its Potential Applications
title_short Numerical Background-Oriented Schlieren for Phase Reconstruction and Its Potential Applications
title_sort numerical background oriented schlieren for phase reconstruction and its potential applications
topic Background-Oriented Schlieren
ray tracing
optical flow analysis
phase screen reconstruction
url https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/12/7/626
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AT yichongren numericalbackgroundorientedschlierenforphasereconstructionanditspotentialapplications
AT haipingmei numericalbackgroundorientedschlierenforphasereconstructionanditspotentialapplications
AT zhiweitao numericalbackgroundorientedschlierenforphasereconstructionanditspotentialapplications
AT shuranye numericalbackgroundorientedschlierenforphasereconstructionanditspotentialapplications
AT xiaoxuanma numericalbackgroundorientedschlierenforphasereconstructionanditspotentialapplications
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