Projection-slice theorem as a tool for mathematical representation of diffraction

Although the impulse (Dirac delta) function has been widely used as a tool in signal processing, its more complicated counterpart, the impulse function over higher dimensional manifolds in ℝN, did not get such a widespread utilization. Based on carefully made definitions of such functions, it is shown that many higher dimensional signal processing problems can be better formulated, yielding more insight and flexibility, using these tools. The well-known projection-slice theorem is revisited using these impulse functions. As a demonstration of the utility of the projection-slice formulation using impulse functions over hyperplanes, the scalar optical diffraction is reformulated in a more general context.