- #1
Mark.R
- 3
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I'm looking at a surface at an angle. Light reflected to me is polarised (Fresnel), does this mean light emitted to me from the surface is also polarised?
I've been told that ocean emission is polarised (when looking at an angle) because of Kirchoff's law of radiative balance (emissivity = absorptivity = 1 - transmission - reflection). They've told me that since reflection is polarised at that angle, absorption must be polarised and therefore emission is too.
But I don't see why it has to be and physically I don't see where it comes from. The only possible source I can see is something to do with the angle of observation. Can anyone help me?
I've been told that ocean emission is polarised (when looking at an angle) because of Kirchoff's law of radiative balance (emissivity = absorptivity = 1 - transmission - reflection). They've told me that since reflection is polarised at that angle, absorption must be polarised and therefore emission is too.
But I don't see why it has to be and physically I don't see where it comes from. The only possible source I can see is something to do with the angle of observation. Can anyone help me?