The wave catastrophe description of optical focal aberrations

In an investigation of amplitude and phase field structures in focal regions of reflector antennas, focusing systems and different optical equipment the initial wave front has formed the focal region which differs from the ideal spherical one. The traditional point of view to the problem is connected with the theory of optical aberrations such as "spherical aberrations", "coma", astigmatism, "distortion" and so on. We propose an another way to the classification of optical aberrations based on the wave catastrophes theory (Arnold et al [1]). This theory is the generalization of the geometrical theory of diffraction. Like others ray methods the wave catastrophe theory has good physical representatives. On the other hand in the frame of this theory the uniform asymptotical solutions can be received in the all focal region, when the classical rays theories are not applicable.