apod
05-29-08, 09:47 AM
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0805/fogbow_keith.jpg (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0805/fogbow_keith_big.jpg) A Fog Bow Over Ocean Beach
Credit & Copyright: Keith C. Langill (missionblvd.com (http://www.missionblvd.com/mbblog/))
Explanation: What is that white arch over the water? What is being seen is a fogbow (http://www.atoptics.co.uk/droplets/fogbow.htm), a reflection of sunlight by water drops similar to a rainbow (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070912.html) but without the colors. The fog itself is not confined to an arch (http://www.imux.net/images/funny/Arch1.jpg) -- the fog is mostly transparent but relatively uniform. The fogbow (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fogbow) shape is created by those drops with the best angle to divert sunlight (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap011030.html) to the observer. The fogbow (http://www.weatherscapes.com/album.php?cat=optics&subcat=fog_bow)'s relative lack of colors are caused by the relatively smaller water drops (http://www.atoptics.co.uk/droplets/clouds.htm). The drops active above are so small (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mie_scattering) that the quantum mechanical wavelength of light becomes important and smears out colors (http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=fog-for-a-thirsty-planet&ref=sciam) that would be created by larger rainbow (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060702.html) water drops acting like small prisms reflecting (http://eo.ucar.edu/rainbows/) sunlight. The above striking image (http://www.missionblvd.com/mbblog/?p=234) of a fogbow (http://www.allthesky.com/atmosphere/fogbow.html) was taken last week with the Sun behind the photographer. The rocks in the foreground are part of Ocean Beach (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_Beach%2C_San_Diego%2C_California) in California (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California), USA (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html).
Source (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap080529.html)
Credit & Copyright: Keith C. Langill (missionblvd.com (http://www.missionblvd.com/mbblog/))
Explanation: What is that white arch over the water? What is being seen is a fogbow (http://www.atoptics.co.uk/droplets/fogbow.htm), a reflection of sunlight by water drops similar to a rainbow (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070912.html) but without the colors. The fog itself is not confined to an arch (http://www.imux.net/images/funny/Arch1.jpg) -- the fog is mostly transparent but relatively uniform. The fogbow (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fogbow) shape is created by those drops with the best angle to divert sunlight (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap011030.html) to the observer. The fogbow (http://www.weatherscapes.com/album.php?cat=optics&subcat=fog_bow)'s relative lack of colors are caused by the relatively smaller water drops (http://www.atoptics.co.uk/droplets/clouds.htm). The drops active above are so small (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mie_scattering) that the quantum mechanical wavelength of light becomes important and smears out colors (http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=fog-for-a-thirsty-planet&ref=sciam) that would be created by larger rainbow (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060702.html) water drops acting like small prisms reflecting (http://eo.ucar.edu/rainbows/) sunlight. The above striking image (http://www.missionblvd.com/mbblog/?p=234) of a fogbow (http://www.allthesky.com/atmosphere/fogbow.html) was taken last week with the Sun behind the photographer. The rocks in the foreground are part of Ocean Beach (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_Beach%2C_San_Diego%2C_California) in California (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California), USA (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html).
Source (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap080529.html)