Enhanced Imaging of Reacting Flows Using 3D Deconvolution and a Plenoptic Camera

Light field imaging with a plenoptic camera provides the ability to capture three dimensional information about a given volume or flow with a single camera. The single camera nature of this technique allows for imaging in environments with restricted optical access. Such environments are often associated with chemically reacting flows, which often have minimal external access due to high temperature and pressure. The plenoptic camera shows promise as an emerging tool for investigation of these flows, although its application in these environments is still largely unexplored. An overview of the basics of light field imaging with a plenoptic camera is given with a focus on the ability of the camera to refocus an image after it has been acquired. Three dimensional deconvolution is discussed as a method for enhancing the spatial resolution of refocused two dimensional images in environments possessing significant out-of-plane signal from a flame or other translucent source. Preliminary results showing the application of 3D deconvolution for image enhancement are presented with a summary of future work.