scholarly journals The linearly polarized light field in clear, tropical marine waters: spatial and temporal variation of light intensity, degree of polarization and e-vector angle

2001 ◽  
Vol 204 (14) ◽  
pp. 2461-2467 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas W. Cronin ◽  
Nadav Shashar
Keyword(s):  
Light Field ◽  
Marine Invertebrates ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Florida Keys ◽  
Degree Of Polarization ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Variation ◽  
Polarization Sensitivity ◽  
Marine Animals ◽  
Linearly Polarized ◽  
Vector Angle

SUMMARYSensitivity to polarized light is widespread among marine animals, including crustaceans, cephalopods and some fishes. They use this ability to orient and find prey, and possibly for a number of other visual tasks. Unlike the ultraviolet-sensitive polarization receptors of most insects, the polarization receptors of marine invertebrates tend to be maximally sensitive near 500nm, suggesting that polarized light in water differs from that in air. The underwater field of partially linearly polarized light has been studied for nearly 50 years, but data are still limited and sparse. We measured the submarine polarized light field from 350 to 600nm throughout the day on a coral reef in the Florida Keys at a depth of 15m using the underwater laboratory Aquarius as a research platform. Our results show that the angle of polarization as viewed along any given line of sight at this depth is a relatively simple function of solar position and that the degree of polarization is greatest 60–90° from the sun. Both e-vector angle and degree of polarization vary only slightly with wavelength, although light is sometimes less polarized in the ultraviolet. Since light is most intense at medium wavelengths and polarization is nearly maximal at these wavelengths, invertebrate polarization photoreceptors are spectrally well placed. Also, the relative spectral constancy of the angle and degree of polarization supports fish polarization sensitivity, which relies on spectrally diverse photoreceptor sets.

Polarization vision in cuttlefish in a concealed communication channel?

1996 ◽  
Vol 199 (9) ◽  
pp. 2077-2084
Author(s):  
N Shashar ◽  
P Rutledge ◽  
T Cronin
Keyword(s):  
Polarized Light ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Polarization Sensitivity ◽  
Polarization Vision ◽  
Microscopical Examination ◽  
Polarization Pattern ◽  
Behavioral Experiments ◽  
Marine Animals ◽  
Linearly Polarized ◽  
Electron Microscopical

Polarization sensitivity is well documented in marine animals, but its function is not yet well understood. Of the cephalopods, squid and octopus are known to be sensitive to the orientation of polarization of incoming light. This sensitivity arises from the orthogonal orientation of neighboring photoreceptors. Electron microscopical examination of the retina of the cuttlefish Sepia officinalis L. revealed the same orthogonal structure, suggesting that cuttlefish are also sensitive to linearly polarized light. Viewing cuttlefish through an imaging polarized light analyzer revealed a prominent polarization pattern on the arms, around the eyes and on the forehead of the animals. The polarization pattern disappeared when individuals lay camouflaged on the bottom and also during extreme aggression display, attacks on prey, copulation and egg-laying behavior in females. In behavioral experiments, the responses of cuttlefish to their images reflected from a mirror changed when the polarization patterns of the reflected images were distorted. These results suggest that cuttlefish use polarization vision and display for intraspecific recognition and communication.

scholarly journals Why do horseflies need polarization vision for host detection? Polarization helps tabanid flies to select sunlit dark host animals from the dark patches of the visual environment

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (11) ◽  
pp. 170735 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gábor Horváth ◽  
Tamás Szörényi ◽  
Ádám Pereszlényi ◽  
Balázs Gerics ◽  
Ramón Hegedüs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Polarized Light ◽  
Degree Of Polarization ◽  
Polarization Sensitivity ◽  
Host Animal ◽  
Linearly Polarized ◽  
Imaging Polarimetry ◽  
Host Detection ◽  
Vegetation Region ◽  
Two Parameters ◽  
Polarization Of Light

Horseflies (Tabanidae) are polarotactic, being attracted to linearly polarized light when searching for water or host animals. Although it is well known that horseflies prefer sunlit dark and strongly polarizing hosts, the reason for this preference is unknown. According to our hypothesis, horseflies use their polarization sensitivity to look for targets with higher degrees of polarization in their optical environment, which as a result facilitates detection of sunlit dark host animals. In this work, we tested this hypothesis. Using imaging polarimetry, we measured the reflection–polarization patterns of a dark host model and a living black cow under various illumination conditions and with different vegetation backgrounds. We focused on the intensity and degree of polarization of light originating from dark patches of vegetation and the dark model/cow. We compared the chances of successful host selection based on either intensity or degree of polarization of the target and the combination of these two parameters. We show that the use of polarization information considerably increases the effectiveness of visual detection of dark host animals even in front of sunny–shady–patchy vegetation. Differentiation between a weakly polarizing, shady (dark) vegetation region and a sunlit, highly polarizing dark host animal increases the efficiency of host search by horseflies.

scholarly journals An unsuccessful attempt to elicit orientation responses to linearly polarized light in hatchling loggerhead sea turtles ( Caretta caretta )

2011 ◽  
Vol 366 (1565) ◽  
pp. 757-762 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lydia M. Mäthger ◽  
Kenneth J. Lohmann ◽  
Colin J. Limpus ◽  
Kerstin A. Fritsches
Keyword(s):  
Light Field ◽  
Uv Light ◽  
Light Emitting Diode ◽  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Caretta Caretta ◽  
Polarization Sensitivity ◽  
Light Perception ◽  
Unsuccessful Attempt ◽  
Swimming Direction

Sea turtles undertake long migrations in the open ocean, during which they rely at least partly on magnetic cues for navigation. In principle, sensitivity to polarized light might be an additional sensory capability that aids navigation. Furthermore, polarization sensitivity has been linked to ultraviolet (UV) light perception which is present in sea turtles. Here, we tested the ability of hatchling loggerheads ( Caretta caretta ) to maintain a swimming direction in the presence of broad-spectrum polarized light. At the start of each trial, hatchling turtles, with their magnetic sense temporarily impaired by magnets, successfully established a steady course towards a light-emitting diode (LED) light source while the polarized light field was present. When the LED was removed, however, hatchlings failed to maintain a steady swimming direction, even though the polarized light field remained. Our results have failed to provide evidence for polarized light perception in young sea turtles and suggest that alternative cues guide the initial migration offshore.

scholarly journals Multifunctional Metasurface Lens With Tunable Focus Based on Phase Transition Material

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongkang Song ◽  
Weici Liu ◽  
Xiaolei Wang ◽  
Faqiang Wang ◽  
Zhongchao Wei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phase Transition ◽  
Light Field ◽  
Focal Point ◽  
Incident Light ◽  
Polarization State ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Circularly Polarized Light ◽  
Circularly Polarized ◽  
Multiple Focus ◽  
Linearly Polarized

Metasurfaces have powerful light field manipulation capabilities, which have been extensively studied in the past few years and have developed rapidly in various fields. At present, the focus of metasurface research has shifted to the tunable functionality. In this paper, a temperature-controllable multifunctional metasurface lens based on phase transition material is designed. First of all, by controlling the temperature of the desired working area and the polarization of the incident light, switching among multiple focus, single focus, and no focus at any position can be achieved, and the intensity and helicity of the output light can be adjusted. In addition, a polarization-sensitive intensity-tunable metalens based on the P-B phase principle is designed, when the incident light is linearly polarized light, left-handed circularly polarized light, or right-handed circularly polarized light, it has the same focal point but with different light field intensities. Therefore, the focused intensity can be tunable by the polarization state of the incident light.

scholarly journals No evidence for polarization sensitivity in the pigeon electroretinogram

1995 ◽  
Vol 198 (2) ◽  
pp. 325-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
J J Vos Hzn ◽  
M A J M Coemans ◽  
J F W Nuboer
Keyword(s):  
White Light ◽  
Monochromatic Light ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Polarization Sensitivity ◽  
Slow Rotation ◽  
Unpolarized Light ◽  
Linearly Polarized

The electroretinographical response to flashes of linearly polarized light directed at the pigeon's yellow field was compared with that to flashes of unpolarized light. This was carried out for white light and for monochromatic light of various wavelengths, including ultraviolet. In addition, responses to slow rotation of the E-vector of polarized light were measured. Neither the presence or absence of polarization, nor the orientation of the E-vector, influenced any of the electrophysiological variables that were monitored in these experiments.

scholarly journals Neural processing of linearly and circularly polarized light signal in a mantis shrimp Haptosquilla pulchella

2020 ◽  
Vol 223 (22) ◽  
pp. jeb219832
Author(s):  
Tsyr-Huei Chiou ◽  
Ching-Wen Wang
Keyword(s):  
Circular Polarization ◽  
Linear Polarization ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Polarization Vision ◽  
Animal Group ◽  
Circularly Polarized Light ◽  
Circularly Polarized ◽  
Mantis Shrimp ◽  
Linearly Polarized ◽  
Vector Angle

ABSTRACTStomatopods, or mantis shrimp, are the only animal group known to possess circular polarization vision along with linear polarization vision. By using the rhabdomere of a distally located photoreceptor as a wave retarder, the eyes of mantis shrimp are able to convert circularly polarized light into linearly polarized light. As a result, their circular polarization vision is based on the linearly polarized light-sensitive photoreceptors commonly found in many arthropods. To investigate how linearly and circularly polarized light signals might be processed, we presented a dynamic polarized light stimulus while recording from photoreceptors or lamina neurons in intact mantis shrimp Haptosquilla pulchella. The results indicate that all the circularly polarized light-sensitive photoreceptors also showed differential responses to the changing e-vector angle of linearly polarized light. When stimulated with linearly polarized light of varying e-vector angle, most photoreceptors produced a concordant sinusoidal response. In contrast, some lamina neurons doubled the response frequency in reacting to linearly polarized light. These responses resembled a rectified sum of two-channel linear polarization-sensitive photoreceptors, indicating that polarization visual signals are processed at or before the first optic lobe. Noticeably, within the lamina, there was one type of neuron that showed a steady depolarization response to all stimuli except right-handed circularly polarized light. Together, our findings suggest that, between the photoreceptors and lamina neurons, linearly and circularly polarized light may be processed in parallel and differently from one another.

Daphnia pulex swims towards the most strongly polarized light - a response that leads to ‘shore flight’

1999 ◽  
Vol 202 (24) ◽  
pp. 3631-3635 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Schwind
Keyword(s):  
Visual Field ◽  
Rayleigh Scattering ◽  
Daphnia Pulex ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Open Water ◽  
The Other ◽  
Lower Degree ◽  
Degree Of Polarization ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Linearly Polarized

When Daphnia pulex are presented on one side of their visual field with diffuse, large-area linearly polarized light with a horizontal e-vector and on the other side of their visual field with large-area polarized light with a lower degree of polarization, they swim towards the place with the higher degree of polarization. The response is intensity-invariant: Daphnia pulex swim towards the place of maximal polarization regardless of which side of their visual field has the higher intensity of light. As a result of Rayleigh scattering in a pond, the light surrounding the Daphnia is polarized and has a horizontal e-vector. Near the shore, polarization is not homogeneous. The light seen in the direction of the open water has a higher degree of polarization than that seen in the direction towards the shore. Therefore, in a pond, swimming towards the place with the highest degree of polarization leads the Daphnia away from the shore. For Daphnia, this response explains a mechanism that underlies the well-known phenomenon of ‘shore flight’, the active departure of small pelagic crustaceans from shore zones.

Orientation of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to multiple patches of linearly polarized light

2001 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 407-415 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelee L Degner ◽  
Craig W Hawryshyn
Keyword(s):  
Rainbow Trout ◽  
Oncorhynchus Mykiss ◽  
Light Field ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Bimodal Distribution ◽  
Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus Mykiss ◽  
Linearly Polarized ◽  
Multiple Patches ◽  
Vector Orientation ◽  
Testing Paradigm

Orientation responses of juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to two linearly polarized light patches were examined under controlled laboratory conditions. Fish were trained to swim the length of the training tank under a polarized light field created by two linearly polarized stimuli that were oriented either parallel or perpendicular to the length of the tank. Trained fish were released in a circular tank and their angular responses were recorded. For each testing paradigm, the E-vector (electric vector) orientation of one of the two linearly polarized light patches was varied by 15° between 0° and 90°. Each fish was therefore tested in seven different paradigms in which the two E-vector orientations differed by 0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 75°, and 90°. Rainbow trout oriented in a bimodal distribution when the two E-vector orientations differed by 0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, and 90°. These results suggest that rainbow trout perceived the two stimuli as being the same when the two E-vector orientations differed by 45° or less. Conversely, rainbow trout did not significantly orient when the two E-vector orientations differed by 60° and 75°. Rainbow trout may be able to discriminate two E-vector orientations that differ between 60° and 75°, and therefore they do not significantly orient, since they perceive two distinct E-vectors to orient to instead of one. When rainbow trout were exposed to a depolarized light field, they did not exhibit significant orientation subsequent to the E-vector cue.

scholarly journals Polarization-Sensitive Light Sensors Based on a Bulk Perovskite MAPbBr3 Single Crystal

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 1238
Author(s):  
Yuan Wang ◽  
Laipan Zhu ◽  
Cuifeng Du
Keyword(s):  
Single Crystal ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Light Polarization ◽  
Polarization Sensitivity ◽  
Anisotropy Ratio ◽  
Spin Orbit Coupling ◽  
Band Tail ◽  
Linearly Polarized ◽  
Halide Perovskites ◽  
Shed Light

Organic-inorganic halide perovskites have attracted much attention thanks to their excellent optoelectronic performances. Here, a bulk CH3NH3PbBr3 (MAPbBr3) single crystal (SC) was fabricated, whose temperature and light polarization dependence was investigated by measuring photoluminescence. The presence of obvious band tail states was unveiled when the applied temperature was reduced from room temperature to 78 K. Temperature dependence of the bandgap of the MAPbBr3 SC was found to be abnormal compared with those of traditional semiconductors due to the presence of instabilization of out-of-phase tail states. The MAPbBr3 SC revealed an anisotropy light absorption for linearly polarized light with an anisotropy ratio of 1.45, and a circular dichroism ratio of up to 9% was discovered due to the spin-orbit coupling in the band tail states, exhibiting great polarization sensitivity of the MAPbBr3 SC for the application of light sensors. These key findings shed light on the development of potential optoelectronic and spintronic applications based on large-scaled organic-inorganic perovskite SCs.

scholarly journals Orienting to Polarized Light at Night—Matching Lunar Skylight to Performance in a Nocturnal Beetle

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
James J. Foster ◽  
John D. Kirwan ◽  
Basil el Jundi ◽  
Jochen Smolka ◽  
Lana Khaldy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Degree Of Polarization ◽  
Specific Reference ◽  
Lunar Phase ◽  
Orientation Behaviour ◽  
Linearly Polarized ◽  
Summary Statement ◽  
Night Sky

AbstractFor polarized light to inform behaviour, the typical range of degrees of polarization observable in the animal’s natural environment must be above the threshold for detection and interpretation. Here we present the first investigation of the degree of linear polarization threshold for orientation behaviour in a nocturnal species, with specific reference to the range of degrees of polarization measured in the night sky. An effect of lunar phase on the degree of polarization of skylight was found, with smaller illuminated fractions of the moon’s surface corresponding to lower degrees of polarization in the night sky. We found that South African dung beetleEscarabaeus satyrus(Boheman, 1860) can orient to polarized light for a range of degrees of polarization similar to that observed in diurnal insects, reaching a lower threshold between 0.04 and 0.32, possibly as low as 0.11. For degrees of polarization lower than 0.23, as measured on a crescent moon night, orientation performance was considerably weaker than that observed for completely linearly-polarized stimuli, but was nonetheless stronger than in the absence of polarized light.Summary StatementA degree-of-polarization threshold for orientation behaviour is reported for nocturnal dung beetleEscarabaeus satyrusin the context of measurements showing changes in the degree of polarization of skylight with lunar phase.

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