Geometric representation of errors in measurements of strain and temperature

Many optical fiber sensors, designed to recover quasistatic strain fields in the presence of significant temperature changes, have been reported in recent years. A number of recent publications have attempted to devise a method for assessing the relative performances of such sensing schemes. Here we report an analysis that represents the data recovery process from a geometrical standpoint and provides useful insight into the physical differences between measurement schemes. The performance of methods based on Bragg grating sensors, polarization-maintaining Fabry-Perot interferometers, combined dual-mode interference-polarimetry sensors, and dispersive Fourier-transform spectroscopy measurements are contrasted, (C) 1997 Society of Photo-Optical instrumentation Engineers.