Atmospheric optics

Atmospheric optics is "the study of the optical characteristics of the atmosphere or products of atmospheric processes .... [including] temporal and spatial resolutions beyond those discernible with the naked eye". Meteorological optics is "that part of atmospheric optics concerned with the study of patterns observable with the naked eye". The two terms are sometimes used interchangeably.

Meteorological optical phenomena, are concerned with how the optical properties of Earth's atmosphere cause a wide range of optical phenomena and visual perception phenomena.

Key Concepts  

● Scattering (Rayleigh & Mie): Sunlight scatters off tiny air molecules (Rayleigh) making the sky blue, and larger particles like dust/water (Mie) causing white clouds or hazy skies.

● Refraction: Light bends as it passes through different densities or mediums, creating mirages and prismatic effects in rainbows and halos.

● Reflection: Light bounces off surfaces, like water droplets forming rainbows or ice crystals creating halos.

● Diffraction: Light waves bend around obstacles, causing colorful rings (coronas) around the sun or moon.

 Common Phenomenon 

● Rainbows: Formed by sunlight refracting, reflecting, and dispersing in raindrops.

● Halos & Sundogs: Rings and bright spots around the sun or moon, created by light interacting with hexagonal ice crystals.

● Mirages: Illusions of water or distant objects due to severe temperature gradients bending light.

● Blue Skies & Red Sunsets: Sky is blue due to scattering; sunsets are red as blue light is scattered away, leaving longer red/orange wavelengths.

● Coronas & Glories: Colored rings or glowing spots, often near the sun/moon or opposite it, due to diffraction by water droplets.

 Significance 

Understanding atmospheric optics helps us interpret visual cues about atmospheric conditions (humidity, ice, particles) and appreciate the complex physics happening overhead daily, from the familiar to the extraordinary.

References

Category:Applied sciences
Category:Subfields of physics
Category:Atmospheric optical phenomena
Category:Optics