title: Experimental and theoretical study of skylight polarization transmitted through Snell's window of a flat water surface.
abstract: The celestial polarization pattern may be scrambled by refraction at the air-water interface. This polarization pattern was examined in shallow waters with a submersible polarimeter, and it was calculated by using land measurements ('semiempirical predictions') and models of the skylight polarization. Semiempirically predicted and measured e-vector orientations were significantly similar. Conversely, predicted percent polarization was correlated but lower than measurements. Percent polarization depended on wavelength, where at high sun altitudes maximal percent polarization generally appeared in the UV and red spectral regions. The wavelength dependency of polarization may lead to differential spectral sensitivity in polarization-sensitive animals according to time and type of activity.
authors.affiliation: The Interuniversity Institute of Eilat, Israel.
authors.forename: Shai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sabbah
authors.forename: András
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barta
authors.forename: József
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gál
authors.forename: Gábor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Horváth
authors.forename: Nadav
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shashar
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D008956:Models, Chemical; D012031:Refractometry / Q000379:methods*; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D013472:Sunlight; D013499:Surface Properties; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D014867:Water