Optical phenomenon

Optical phenomena are any observable events that result from the interaction of light and matter. All optical phenomena coincide with quantum phenomena. Common optical phenomena are often due to the interaction of light from the Sun or Moon with the atmosphere, clouds, water, dust, and other particulates. One common example is the rainbow, when light from the Sun is reflected and refracted by water droplets. Some phenomena, such as the green ray, are so rare they are sometimes thought to be mythical. Others, such as Fata Morganas, are commonplace in favored locations. Other phenomena are simply interesting aspects of optics, or optical effects. For instance, the colors generated by a prism are often shown in classrooms.

Scope Optical phenomena encompass a broad range of events, including those caused by atmospheric optical properties, other natural occurrences, man-made effects, and interactions involving human vision (entoptic phenomena). Also listed here are unexplained phenomena that could have an optical explanation and "optical illusions" for which optical explanations have been excluded. There are multiple phenomena that result from either the particle or the wave nature of light. Some are quite subtle and observable only by precise measurement using scientific instruments. A famous example is the bending of starlight by the Sun during a solar eclipse, a phenomenon that serves as evidence for the curvature of space as predicted by the theory of relativity.

Atmospheric optics

Non-atmospheric optical phenomena

Dichromatism Gegenschein Iridescence Opposition effect Shadow Shade Silhouette Sylvanshine Zodiacal light

Other optical effects Asterism, star gems such as star sapphire or star ruby Aura, a phenomenon in which gas or dust surrounding an object luminesces or reflects light from the object Aventurescence, also called the Schiller effect, spangled gems such as aventurine quartz and sunstone Baily's beads, grains of sunlight visible in total solar eclipses. Camera obscura, an inverted projection of a scene into a dark chamber Cathodoluminescence Caustics Chatoyancy, cat's eye gems such as chrysoberyl cat's eye or aquamarine cat's eye Chromatic polarization Diffraction, the apparent bending and spreading of light waves when they meet an obstruction Dispersion Double refraction or birefringence of calcite and other minerals Double-slit experiment Electroluminescence Evanescent wave Fluorescence, also called luminescence or photoluminescence Mie scattering (Why clouds are white) Metamerism as of alexandrite Moiré pattern Newton's rings, an alternating ring pattern created by the reflection of light between a spherical and flat surface Phosphorescence Pleochroism gems or crystals, which seem "many-colored" Rayleigh scattering (Why the sky is blue, sunsets are red, and associated phenomena) Reflection Refraction Sonoluminescence Shrimpoluminescence Synchrotron radiation The separation of light into colors by a prism Triboluminescence Thomson scattering Total internal reflection Twisted light Umov effect Zeeman effect, the splitting of a spectral line into multiple components in the presence of a magnetic field The ability of light to travel through space or through a vacuum.

Entoptic phenomena

Diffraction of light through the eyelashes Haidinger's brush Monocular diplopia (or polyplopia) from reflections at boundaries between the various ocular media Phosphenes from stimulation other than by light (e.g., mechanical, electrical) of the rod cells and cones of the eye or of other neurons of the visual system Purkinje images.

Optical illusions

The unusually large size of the Moon as it rises and sets, the Moon illusion The shape of the sky, the sky bowl

Unexplained phenomena

Some phenomena are yet to be conclusively explained and may possibly be some form of optical phenomena.

Hessdalen lights Min Min lights Light of Saratoga Naga fireballs

See also List of optical topics Optics

References

Source Ozerov, Ruslan P.; Vorobyev, Anatoli A. (2007). "Wave Optics and Quantum–Optical Phenomena". Physics for Chemists. pp. 361–422. doi:10.1016/B978-044452830-8/50008-8. ISBN 978-0-444-52830-8.

Further reading Thomas D. Rossing and Christopher J. Chiaverina, Light Science: Physics and the Visual Arts, Springer, New York, 1999, hardback, ISBN 0-387-98827-0 Robert Greenler, Rainbows, Halos, and Glories, Elton-Wolf Publishing, 1999, hardback, ISBN 0-89716-926-3 Polarized Light in Nature, G. P. Können, Translated by G. A. Beerling, Cambridge University Press, 1985, hardcover, ISBN 0-521-25862-6 M.G.J. Minnaert, Light and Color in the Outdoors, ISBN 0-387-97935-2 John Naylor "Out of the Blue: A 24-hour Skywatcher's Guide", CUP, 2002, ISBN 0-521-80925-8 Abenteuer im Erdschatten (German). The Marine Observers' Log Archived 2012-01-07 at the Wayback Machine

External links

Atmospheric Optics Reference site