Project Overview
Schlieren imaging turns small changes in the refractive index of a transparent medium into visible brightness differences. In gases, refractive index changes with density, so the technique can reveal flow structures that a normal camera cannot see.
As an undergraduate research contribution, the work connected analytical optical relationships with the practical realities of aligning lenses, Ronchi gratings, a test region, and an imaging system.
My Role
Supported development and testing through optical alignment, lens and Ronchi-grating evaluation, MATLAB analysis, experimental preparation, and visualization tests. The work was performed as part of a research team; the complete system is not presented as an independent invention or solo build.
Testing and Validation
Evaluation combined MATLAB plots, physical alignment checks, and experimental visualization tests. Analytical results provided expectations; recorded images showed whether the assembled system produced useful contrast in practice.
Results
The verified outcome is a research contribution spanning analytical evaluation, optical setup work, and recorded visualization—not a claim that the entire instrument was independently designed or completed by one student.
What I Learned
The work reinforced that an optical model becomes useful only when it informs a buildable alignment and a measurable test. It also developed experience moving between equations, bench hardware, and recorded evidence.
Media and Documentation
The layout is ready for optical-bench photographs, geometry diagrams, MATLAB plots, and comparison frames. Placeholders remain until those assets are supplied and cleared for publication.