  Evaluation of residual elastic strain within the bulk of engineering
components or natural objects is a challenging task, since in general it
requires mapping a six-component tensor quantity in three dimensions. A further
challenge concerns the interpretation of finite resolution data in a way that
is commensurate and non-contradictory with respect to continuum deformation
models. A practical solution for this problem, if it is ever to be found, must
include efficient measurement interpretation and data reduction techniques. In
the present note we describe the principle of strain tomography by high energy
X-ray diffraction, i.e. of reconstruction of the higher dimensional
distribution of strain within an object from reduced dimension measurements;
and illustrate the application of this principle to a simple case of
reconstruction of an axisymmetric residual strain state induced in a
cylindrical sample by quenching. The underlying principle of the analysis
method presented in this paper can be readily generalised to more complex
situations.
