Atmospheric Optics

Catalog description

This upper-level undergraduate course will cover the fundamental physics of light and scattering of light by atmospheric particles. Knowledge of these processes will be applied to understand how they result in optical displays in the sky, including colors in the sky, phenomena associated with refraction of light, scattering by liquid drops and ice crystals, and electrification. The course will guide students to observe, document, and understand these beautiful and sometimes bizarre atmospheric optical phenomena. Students will make their own observations using their eyes, optical cameras, and polarization filters. The students will document their observations through regular written sky journal entries to hone their writing skills. By working together through hands-on activities and discussions, students will unlock the mysteries of these phenomena through applying the fundamental physical principles that underly all topics covered in the course. Throughout the semester, students will research a phenomenon of interest to them, culminating in a final paper on this topic. Students who have completed this course will understand the physical concepts associated with atmospheric optical phenomena and where/how to look for them, observe them, and document them.