ATMOSPHERIC OPTICAL PHENOMENA

Fall 1997

To explain the physical causes for some common atmospheric optical phenomena.
To distinguish between scattering, reflection, refraction, dispersion and diffraction processes.
To know where and when to look for the various optical phenomena.
To indicate the meteorological significance associated with some of these optical phenomena.
To identify the reasons for blue sky, white clouds and red sunsets.
To explain why the moon and sun are visible after they have actually passed below the horizon.
To explain the formation of a mirage.
To compare and contrast the formation of haloes, coronas and glories.
To explain how reflection and refraction of light by water droplets and ice crystals in the atmosphere produce rainbows, glories and haloes.
To identify the features of primary and secondary rainbows.

Optical Phenomena associated with Small Particles in the Atmosphere
- Blue Skies
- White Clouds
- Red Sunsets
Optical Phenomena associated with Vertical Air Density Gradients
- Apparent Sunsets
- Mirages
Optical Phenomena associated with Liquid Water Drops/Droplets in the Air
- Rainbows
- Corona
- Glories
Optical Phenomena associated with Ice Crystals in the Air
- Haloes
- Parhelia (Sun Dogs)
- Sun Pillars

Some optical phenomena can be found on the Internet with the Light & Optics module from WW2010 (Univ. of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign).
For a tutorial on basic optics principles and atmospheric optical phenomena from Prof. Steve Ackerman of the Dept. of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences UW Madison.
For educational resource from UCAR Blue Sky Exhibit

Last revision 23 October 1997

Produced by Edward J. Hopkins, Ph.D.

Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences

University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI 53706

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