This chapter states the goals of the book, traces some reasons for its existence, and describes the best ways to use it. Some of the material that appears here would normally be found in an Author's Preface and would, because of its position of exile outside the main text, suffer the fate of being unread. Given the character of this treatise and its somewhat odd but purposeful organization, it seems best to give this commentary the status of a chapter.

Objectives

The author perceives that a strong need exists for a book about optical methods of experimental engineering analysis, a book that begins from a firm base in the sciences of physics and modern classical optics, proceeds through careful discussion of relevant theory, and continues through descriptions of laboratory techniques and apparatus that are complete enough to help practicing experimental analysts solve their special measurement problems.

This book on optics, interferometry, and optical methods in engineering measurement is primarily a teaching tool, designed to meet that need. It is not intended to be a research monograph, although it contains many examples drawn from research applications. It is not an encyclopedia of results, nor is it a handbook on optical techniques. It grew from lecture notes prepared during the past 25 years for graduate and undergraduate courses in experimental mechanics. These courses are taken by graduate students and seniors who have a variety of educational and professional experiences in several science and engineering disciplines.