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Ralajer
Oct21-10, 10:19 PM
I am writing a program that uses Snell's Law for refraction of light through two interfaces and I've encountered a problem representing the geometry symbolically. I could determine the values numerically but I don't want the overhead as it would have to be called up to 1E7 times.

The generalized diagram below shows the known values in green and the unknown in red. These are the equations that I am working with:

B=tan(d)*D + tan(e)*E + tan(f)*F
and from Snell's Law the relationship between angles d, e, and f.

sin(f)*nF = sin(e)*nE
sin(e)*nE = sin(f)*nD

where all the refraction indices nx's are known

In an attempt to solve for one of the angles f in this case I get the following:
f=-atan(1/F*(E*tan(asin(nF*sin(f)/nE))-A+D*tan(asin(nF*sin(f)/nD))))
I cannot solve for f explicitly. Is there something that I am missing in my analysis of the problem? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks
Rob

http://www.wtrresources.com/img/Refraction_Problem_Diagram.jpg
High-Res Version of above (http://www.wtrresources.com/img/Diagram.png)