Tendencies and recent novelties in the heuristic methods (mini-review)

Recent novelties in the heuristic methods are outlined for the following five groups of the methods: (i) Geometrical optics, (ii) complex geometrical optics, (iii) quasi-optics, (iv) geometrical theory of diffraction by Keller, physical theory of diffraction and method of the edge wares by Ufimtsev, (v) caustic asymptotic methods. All these methods are presented in the book “Theory of Diffraction. Heuristic Approaches”, submitted for publication to the Publishing House “Alpha Science International Ltd”.