title: The energy distribution about the image of a point.
abstract: A mathematical formulation is presented of the three dimensional distribution of intensity in the image of a bright point. Other equivalent formulations have been described before, but this one appears to have certain practical advantages. The formulation has been used in computer programs to provide tomograms and isophote contour maps of the intensity distribution. A following paper will describe the application of the formulation to differential interference contrast-microscopy.
mesh_terms: D008027:Light; D008433:Mathematics; D008857:Microscopy, Interference