Expand this Topic clickable element to expand a topic
Skip to content
Optica Publishing Group

Double-cone internal reflection as a basis for polarization detection in fish

Not Accessible

Your library or personal account may give you access

Abstract

Some species of fish are able to discriminate, in addition to intensity and wavelength (color), the direction of polarization of visible light. Optical experiments on axially oriented retinal cones from trout and sunfish with use of two types of polarization microscope indicate anisotropic light transmission through paired cones. The measured linear birefringence of paired cone ellipsoids is consistent with the presence of membranous partitions. It is proposed that the partition between the two members of a paired cone, which often appears extensive and flat, functions as a dielectric mirror and that polarization-dependent reflection and refraction at this partition constitutes the underlying mechanism in the transduction of polarization into intensity variation at the photoreceptor’s outer segments. We support this hypothesis with linear birefringence and linear dichroism measurements, histological evidence, large-scale optical model measurements, and theoretical calculations based on Fresnel’s formulas.

© 1998 Optical Society of America

Full Article  |  PDF Article
More Like This
Graded-index model of a fish double cone exhibits differential polarization sensitivity

M. P. Rowe, N. Engheta, S. S. Easter, and E. N. Pugh
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 11(1) 55-70 (1994)

Differences in the optical properties of vertebrate photoreceptor classes leading to axial polarization sensitivity

Nicholas W. Roberts, Helen F. Gleeson, Shelby E. Temple, Theodore J. Haimberger, and Craig W. Hawryshyn
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 21(3) 335-345 (2004)

Scanning interferometry of sunfish cones. I. Longitudinal variation in single-cone refractive index

M. P. Rowe, J. M. Corless, N. Engheta, and E. N. Pugh
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 13(11) 2141-2150 (1996)

Cited By

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Cited by links are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Figures (8)

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Figure files are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Tables (1)

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Article tables are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Equations (6)

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Equations are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Select as filters


Select Topics Cancel
© Copyright 2024 | Optica Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved