6.1. DefinitionΒΆ
We can vaguely define the Point Spread Function as the response of imaging system to a point source. The concept of PSF is used throughout many imaging applications, some of them are astronomical imaging and medical imaging. Depending on the science application the definition and its sources may vary. However, they all include the diffraction phenomena. The fact of having a non-infinite lens sets a limit on the resolution of the imaging system.
We will focus on PSFs for astronomical imaging and analyze its main sources.