LASER APPLICATIONS TO CHEMICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL-ANALYSIS - AN INTRODUCTION

This issue of Applied Optics features papers on the application of las er technology to chemical and environmental analysis. Many of the cont ributions to this issue, although not all, result from papers presente d at the 1996 OSA Topical Meeting on Laser Applications to Chemical an d Environmental Analysis, which was held in Orlando, Florida, in March 1996. This successful meeting, with nearly 100 participants, continue d the tradition of earlier Laser Applications to Chemical Analysis (LA CA) meetings. The title change reflects an expended scope and an even greater emphasis on environmental analysis than the previous four LACA meetings. (C) 1997 Optical Society of America.