SUBJECT

Title

Sensory biophysics I.: Polarization sensitivity and its environmental optical aspects

Type of instruction

lecture

Level

Doctoral

Faculty

Faculty of Science

Part of degree program

Doctoral School of Environmental Sciences

Credits

Recommended in

Semesters 1-4

Typically offered in

Autumn/Spring semester

Course description

Light polarization, physical base of polarimetry. Biophysics of polarization sensitivity. Polarization-sensitive animals and their behaviour. Polarization patterns of the sky and their atmospheric optical and biological aspects. Reflection-polarization characteristics of water surfaces with biological applications. Polarotactic water detection by aquatic insects. Polarized light pollution. Sky-polarimetric navigation of the Vikings. Circular polarization and its sensation. Why and when is it worth detecting polarization in the ultraviolet, blue and green spectral range? Polarization and colour sensitivity, polarization-induced false colours.

Readings

Horváth Gábor, Farkas Alexandra, Kriska György (2016) A poláros fény környezetoptikai és biológiai vonatkozásai. ELTE Eötvös Kiadó, Budapest (ISBN 978 963 312 253 2) 485 oldal
Gábor Horváth (editor) (2014) Polarized Light and Polarization Vision in Animal Sciences. Springer-Verlag: Heidelberg, Berlin, New York (ISBN: 978-3-642-54717-1, doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-54718-8) p. 649
Gábor Horváth, Dezső Varjú (2004) Polarized Light in Animal Vision - Polarization Patterns in Nature. Springer-Verlag: Heidelberg, Berlin, New York (ISBN: 3-540-40457-0) p. 447