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Uniform theory of diffraction
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<p>In <a href="/facts/Numerical_analysis/QT9cYa9z">numerical analysis</a>, the uniform theory of diffraction (UTD) is a <a href="/facts/High_frequency/JmDJLR5I">high-frequency</a> method for solving <a href="/facts/Electromagnetic_radiation/Ynx7ujCW">electromagnetic</a> <a href="/facts/Scattering/nMou7lEH">scattering</a> problems from electrically small discontinuities or discontinuities in more than one dimension at the same point. UTD is an extension of <a href="/facts/Joseph_Keller/AxsP5mzL">Joseph Keller</a>'s geometrical theory of diffraction (GTD) and was introduced by <a href="/facts/Robert_Kouyoumjian/tDzazHGn">Robert Kouyoumjian</a> and Prabhakar Pathak in 1974. </p><p>The uniform theory of diffraction approximates <a href="/facts/Near-field_optics/kqkCeEWp">near field</a> electromagnetic fields as <a href="/facts/Quasi_optical/VQltARl8">quasi optical</a> and uses <a href="/facts/Knife-edge_diffraction/Mk80xXHT">knife-edge diffraction</a> to determine diffraction coefficients for each diffracting object-source combination. These coefficients are then used to calculate the field strength and <a href="/facts/Phase_(waves)/cpGtuVll">phase</a> for each direction away from the diffracting point. These fields are then added to the incident fields and reflected fields to obtain a total solution. </p>