INVERSION OF INTERFEROMETRIC DATA FROM CYLINDRICALLY SYMMETRIC, REFRACTIONLESS PLASMAS

Consideration is given to the problem of uniqueness and the compromise between resolution and variance when determining plasma densities by inverting inaccurate interferometric data from cylindrically symmetric refractionless plasmas or other similar phase objects. Methods are presented to show what unique information about plasma structure can be provided by a finite set of interferometric data, and how to determine the best possible resolution given that the variance of the estimate is to be less than a specific value. The problem of structural appraisal is also resolved by computing plasma densities which reproduce the data to within desired errors.