Plane of polarization: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 18:56, 21 September 2017

Revision as of 19:38, 21 September 2017

Line 1:

{{User sandbox}}

{{AFC submission|d|cv|http://www.grputland.com/2017/04/ambiguity-of-plane-of-polarization.html|u=Gavin R Putland|ns=118|decliner=SwisterTwister|declinets=20170921185628|ts=20170918102353}} <!-- Do not remove this line! -->

<!-- EDIT BELOW THIS LINE -->

The term '''''plane of polarization''''' refers to the direction of [[polarization (waves)|polarization]] of [[linear polarization|linearly-polarized]] light or other [[electromagnetic radiation]]. Unfortunately the term is used with two contradictory meanings. As originally defined by [[Étienne-Louis Malus]] in 1811, the plane of polarization happened to coincide with the plane containing the direction of propagation and the ''magnetic'' vector; but this was not known at the time. In modern literature, the term ''plane of polarization'', if it is used at all, more often refers to the plane containing the direction of propagation and the ''electric'' vector, because the electric field has the greater propensity to interact with matter. That propensity, together with Malus's definition and [[Augustin-Jean Fresnel|Fresnel]]'s speculations on the [[luminiferous aether]], led early investigators to define the "plane of ''vibration''" as perpendicular to the plane of polarization and containing the direction of propagation.

{{db-g12|url=http://www.grputland.com/2017/04/ambiguity-of-plane-of-polarization.html|oldid=801345681}}

{{afc cleared}}

This history must be taken into account when interpreting the term ''plane of polarization'' in existing literature. Sometimes the meaning can only be inferred from the context. In original writing, confusion can be avoided by specifying the orientation of a particular vector.<br style="margin-bottom: 1ex;" />

== References ==

{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name=aldis-1879>W.S. Aldis, [https://archive.org/details/chapteronfresnel00aldirich ''A Chapter on Fresnel's Theory of Double Refraction''], 2nd&nbsp;Ed., Cambridge: Deighton, Bell, & Co., 1879.</ref>

<ref name=analogies>Concerning the limitations of elastic-electromagnetic analogies, see (e.g.) O.&nbsp;Darrigol, ''A History of Optics: From Greek Antiquity to the Nineteenth Century'', Oxford, 2012, pp.{{nnbsp}}227–32.</ref>

<ref name=buchwald-1989>J.Z. Buchwald, ''The Rise of the Wave Theory of Light: Optical Theory and Experiment in the Early Nineteenth Century'', University of Chicago Press, 1989.</ref>

<ref name=carcione-cavallini-1995>J.M. Carcione and F. Cavallini, [http://www.lucabaradello.it/carcione/CC95b.pdf "On the acoustic-electromagnetic analogy"], ''Wave Motion'', Vol.{{nnbsp}}21 (1995), pp.{{nnbsp}}149–62. (Note that the authors' analogy is only two-dimensional.)</ref>

<ref name=feynman-1963>R.P. Feynman, R.B. Leighton, and M.&nbsp;Sands, ''The Feynman Lectures on Physics'', California Institute of Technology, 1963–2013, Volume&nbsp;{{serif|I}}, [http://feynmanlectures.caltech.edu/I_33.html Lecture&nbsp;33].</ref>

<ref name=frankel-1976>E. Frankel, "Corpuscular optics and the wave theory of light: The science and politics of a revolution in physics", ''Social Studies of Science'', Vol.{{nnbsp}}6, No.{{hsp}}2 (May&nbsp;1976), pp.{{nnbsp}}141–84.</ref>

<ref name=huygens-1690>C. Huygens, ''Traité de la Lumière'' (Leiden: Van der Aa, 1690), translated by S.P. Thompson as ''[http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14725 Treatise on Light]'', University of Chicago Press, 1912.</ref>

<ref name=jenkins-white-1976>Cf.&nbsp; F.A. Jenkins and H.E. White, ''Fundamentals of Optics'', 4th&nbsp;Ed., New&nbsp;York: McGraw-Hill, 1976, Fig.{{nnbsp}}26{{serif|I}} (p.{{hsp}}554).</ref>

<ref name=lunney-weaire-2006> J.G. Lunney and D. Weaire, "The ins and outs of conical refraction", ''Europhysics News'', Vol.{{nnbsp}}37, No.{{hsp}}3 (May–June&nbsp;2006), pp.{{nnbsp}}26–9; [http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/epn:2006305 doi.org/10.1051/epn:2006305].</ref>

<ref name=luntz>M. Luntz (?) et al., [https://www.britannica.com/science/radiation/The-structure-and-properties-of-matter#ref398787 "Double refraction"], ''Encyclopædia Britannica'', accessed 15&nbsp;September 2017.</ref>

<ref name=merriamW>Merriam-Webster, Inc., [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plane%20of%20polarization "Plane of polarization"], accessed 15&nbsp;September 2017.</ref>

<ref name=powell-1856>B. Powell, [https://archive.org/stream/s4philosophicalmag12londuoft#page/n13/mode/2up "On the demonstration of Fresnel's formulas for reflected and refracted light; and their applications"], ''Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science'', Series&nbsp;4, Vol.{{nnbsp}}12, No.{{hsp}}76 (July&nbsp;1856), pp.{{nnbsp}}1–20.</ref>

<ref name=stokes-1849>G.G. Stokes, [https://archive.org/stream/transactionsofca09camb#page/n15/mode/2up "On the dynamical theory of diffraction"] (read 26&nbsp;November 1849), ''Transactions of the Cambridge Philosophical Society'', Vol.{{nnbsp}}9, Part&nbsp;1 (1851), pp.{{nnbsp}}1–62.</ref>

}}

{{Portal bar|History of science|Physics}}

{{Authority control}}

[[:Category:Light]]

[[:Category:Optics]]

[[:Category:Physical optics]]

[[:Category:Polarization (waves)]]

[[:Category:Electromagnetic radiation]]

[[:Category:Antennas (radio)]]

[[:Category:History of physics]]

== plane of polarization ==

{{AFC submission|||ts=20170918102353|u=Gavin R Putland|ns=2}}