Laser diagnostics in combustion and beyond dedicated to Prof. Marcus Aldén on his 70th birthday

Laser diagnostics has been one of the most powerful tools in advancing state-of-the-art combustion research over the last five decades. Prof. Marcus Aldén, one of the most well-known pioneers in this field, has contributed many influential original publications over more than 40 years of his research career. In this paper, we will review some selected contributions, with emphasis on optical techniques developed and applied by Marcus and the group in Lund under his leadership, which are expected to play important roles in facing the challenge of the transition to a carbon-neutral energy system.A brief biography of Marcus is presented in the introduction section, including a summary of his academic services and achievements. The following sections are organized into chapters on different well-recognized techniques, i.e., laser-induced fluorescence, Raman and Rayleigh scattering, thermographic phosphors, coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy, resonant four-wave mixing, and additional novel technical developments and approaches. The description often follows different categories, including technique development, activities using relatively mature techniques for studies of combustion phenomena, and applications of the most mature techniques in practical devices. The last part of the paper includes a short interview with Marcus for his comments, suggestions, and thoughts on the future challenges and opportunities in this field.This article, on the one hand, is an acknowledgment of the outstanding contribution of Marcus to the field of combustion research and, on the other hand, intends to provide a valuable review of laser diagnostics in combustion research.