Light plays in nature: from mirages and colours in the sky to the vastness of space
This reference book presents the fundamentals of optics in theory and detailed experiments, as well as a wide range of fascinating optical phenomena. Whether in lectures, seminars, project work, school lessons or for self-study, this book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in optics. The large number of original works cited not only bridges the gap between teaching and research, but also between theory and practice.
The book impresses with its many illustrations, including over 200 high-quality colour photos of optical natural phenomena and a large number of scientific and physics teaching references for further study.
The chapters can also be read individually, but together they form a unique combination of an introductory textbook on classical optics and a detailed, up-to-date compilation of applications in the field of optical natural phenomena.
The book covers a wide range of topics, from geometric, wave and quantum optics, radiometry and photometry to colour theories and technical applications such as spectroscopy, natural phenomena and the question of why the sky is dark at night.
The fundamentals are reinforced by numerous comprehension questions and exercises, in addition to many application examples ranging from window reflections to fibre optic cables and smartphone lenses to modern projectors.
Contents:
- Introduction
- Geometric optics
- Wave optics
- Interaction of radiation with matter: quantum optics
- Detectors and light sources
- Visual perception
- The Earth's atmosphere
- Air reflections
- Rainbows
- Coronas, glories and related phenomena
- Halo phenomena in the sky
- Light scattering and sky colours
- Other phenomena caused by light scattering
- Up to the stratosphere and beyond
After studying physics, obtaining his doctorate and habilitation in Heidelberg, author Michael Vollmer taught and conducted research as a professor at the Technical University of Brandenburg.
