Polarized Light in Animal Vision: Polarization Patterns in NatureThe subject of this volume is two-fold. First, it gathers typical polarization patterns occurring in nature. Second, it surveys the polarization-sensitive ani mals, the physiological mechanisms and biological functions of polarization sensitivity as weIl as the polarization-guided behaviour in animals. The monograph is prepared for biologists, physicists and meteorologists, espe cially for experts of atmospheric optics and animal vision, who wish to under stand and reveal the message hidden in polarization patterns of the optical environment not directly accessible to the human visual system, but measur able by polarimetry and perceived by many animals. Our volume is an attempt to build a bridge between these two physical and biological flelds. In Part I we introduce the reader to the elements of imaging polarimetry. This technique can be efflciently used, e. g. in atmospheric optics, remote sens ing and biology. In Part 11 we deal with typical polarization patterns of the natural optical environment. Sunrise/sunset, clear skies, cloudy skies, moonshine and total solar eclipses all mean quite different illumination conditions, wh ich also affect the spatial distribution and strength of celestial polarization. We pre sent the polarization patterns of the sky and its unpolarized (neutral) points under sunlit, moonlit, clear, cloudy and eclipsed conditions as a function of solar elevation. The polarization pattern of a rainbow is also shown. That part of the spectrum is derived in which perception of skylight polarization is optimal under partly cloudy skies. |
Contents
1 | 9 |
24Hour Change of the Polarization Pattern | 32 |
Proportion of the Celestial Polarization Pattern Useful | 38 |
Comparison of Moonlit and Sunlit Skies | 47 |
10 | 53 |
3 | 64 |
7 | 72 |
1885 | 80 |
25 | 247 |
6 | 253 |
10 | 259 |
26 | 267 |
2 | 274 |
4 | 278 |
6 | 286 |
Polarization Sensitivity in Fish | 293 |
Measured by 180 FieldofView Imaging Polarimetry | 88 |
14 | 95 |
2 | 101 |
16 | 105 |
6 | 116 |
Polarization Sensitivity in Terrestrial Insects | 128 |
2 | 135 |
8 | 173 |
6 | 188 |
10 | 195 |
20 | 202 |
Oil Reservoirs and Plastic Sheets as Polarizing Insect Traps | 215 |
Insects Trapped by the Waste | 221 |
The Possible LargeScale Hazard | 227 |
5 | 229 |
3 | 309 |
30 | 324 |
1 | 330 |
3 | 341 |
4 | 350 |
3 | 361 |
1 | 362 |
by a Weakly PolarizationSensitive Retina | 369 |
4 | 378 |
386 | |
206 | 388 |
396 | |
222 | 405 |
Other editions - View all
Polarized Light in Animal Vision: Polarization Patterns in Nature Gábor Horváth,Dezsö Varju Limited preview - 2004 |
Polarized Light in Animal Vision: Polarization Patterns in Nature Gábor Horváth,Dezsö Varju No preview available - 2010 |
Common terms and phrases
angle of polarization animals antisolar asphalt road azimuth birds birefringence black plastic sheet blue brightness Cataglyphis celestial polarization pattern clear sky clouds colour Fig Comp Physiol compass compound eye cues Daphnia degree of linear degree of polarization depolarized detection dragonflies E-vector direction Ephemeroptera eye region fish Gerris lacustris green receptors Haidinger brushes Hawryshyn incident light insects intensity Labhart light reflected linearly polarized linearly polarized light mayflies membrane meridian microvilli migratory neutral point Notonecta glauca Novales Flamarique observed ommatidia optical optomotor response orient by means orthogonal outer segments parallel perceive perpendicular photoreceptors pigeons pigment polarimetry polariza polarization sensitivity polarization-induced false colours polarization-sensitive polarized light radiance rainbow trout reflected light retina rhabdom rhabdomeres rotation Savannah sparrows scattering Schwind shiny skies skylight polarization solar species spectral stimulus sunset tion totally linearly polarized transmission axes twin cones underwater unpolarized UV light ventral vertical vhPOL water surface Waterman wavelength Wehner zenith