Sky Polarization: Understanding & Experiments

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    Polarization Sky
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of sky polarization, particularly in relation to determining the position of the sun using polarizing filters. Participants explore experimental approaches, the effectiveness of these methods, and the broader implications of polarization in navigation.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Experimental/applied
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes an experimental approach to determine the sun's position by analyzing the polarization of the sky using a polaroid filter, seeking validation of their method.
  • Another participant notes that the effectiveness of detecting polarization can be influenced by environmental factors such as aerosols and pollutants, suggesting that these may affect the visibility of polarization effects.
  • There is mention of insects using polarization for navigation, indicating that this phenomenon has practical applications in nature.
  • A participant references historical navigation techniques used by Vikings involving tourmaline crystals, raising questions about the methods and experiments that could be designed to explore this topic further.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying degrees of confidence in the experimental approach, with some agreeing that the method is valid while others highlight potential issues. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the effectiveness of the proposed method and the specific conditions under which polarization can be detected.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations related to the environmental conditions affecting polarization detection, as well as the need for further clarification on the experimental design and assumptions regarding the sensitivity of the polaroid filter.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to those studying optics, atmospheric science, navigation techniques, and experimental physics.

jangheej
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hi all

im studying polarization, and i want to check if i have the right idea about sky polarization.
basically i want to find the position of the sun when i know the angle theta (refer to the attachment) of the sun but doesn't know the exact position.
so i look at the portion of the sky that is at the right angle from the plane of the sun and rotate the polaroid and find the axis of the polaroid when it's the brightests.
so from this, i assume that the polarization direction by scattering is in the same direction as the axis of the polaroid and therefore determine the position of the sun as shown in the picture.

do i have the right idea?


and also, i actually tried to find the sun's position myself with a normal polaroid.
but when i looked throgh the polaroid and rotated it, there wasnt any difference in the brightness of the polaroid. what is wrong with my approach in this experiment??
is the linear polarization by scattering usually not strong enough to detect by a normal polaroid? if so, how can i design the experiment?
 

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I am wondering did you decided to the experiment? How will you explain polarization? And what is the relationship between polarization and navigation?
 
jangheej said:
do i have the right idea?

Yep.

jangheej said:
but when i looked throgh the polaroid and rotated it, there wasnt any difference in the brightness of the polaroid. what is wrong with my approach in this experiment??
is the linear polarization by scattering usually not strong enough to detect by a normal polaroid? if so, how can i design the experiment?

The sky polarization is very sensitive to aerosols (water vapor, for example) and pollutants: without knowing more, I can't guess why you did not notice any change. On a clear day, it's a very pronounced effect:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/6/86864348_ed115c64fb.jpg
 
It should be possible, many insects use this technique for navigation.
 
Yes, it is possible but Vikings using tourmaline cyristals for decided to describe sun position. And due to sun positions they can find their directions. But how? And How can ı explain this topic? Which experiment should I do?
 

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