Compensation method for attenuated planar laser images of optically dense sprays

We present a method for compensating laser attenuation in optically dense s prays, in particular for use in combustion engine research. Images of the f uel sprays are produced by planar laser imaging, where Mie scattered light from a cross section of the spray is imaged onto a CCD camera. The compensa tion scheme is based on the Beer-Lambert law, which is used here to sum up the loss of light along the path of the laser in the image, and to compensa te iteratively, pixel by pixel, for this loss. (C) 2000 Optical Society of America.