P3D Re: polarization

[bob Wier <wier@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>>I'm attempting to get an intuitive feel for "circular polarization".
>
>That's a good one......if successful, after this project, you should try
>for an intuitive feel for the unix kernel, or quantum mechanics!
>

Yeah - I've been working on the Unix kernel for about 5 years now :-)

I have kind of an intuitive feel for microwave circular polarization
as used in satellite transponders, where the E and M fields exist
at right angles to each other and energy is transferred back and forth
between them as the wave travels. Also that if you have, say, a
right hand circular polarization signal and you use an antenna 
this is left hand, you get at least a 3db loss (ie, reduced by
1/2). 

Light, though is tougher for me to think about (unless someone here
can come up with a handy dandy unified field theory off the cuff).

>
>>Many thanks to several people who have responded off list - '
>
>What's the point of that??   I'd like to read anything substantial that was
>explained.
>_______________________________________

Sometimes people are reluctant to post (a problem *I* don't have as
everyone has noticed!) due to either just being in lurk mode, or
feeling the topic isn't on charter, or maybe are "gun shy".

It *is* probably worthwhile to throw things out to the list in general,
espcially if the topic is "covering new ground", though.

Just as an aside, for newer members "retinal rivalry" is when the
two eyes don't see the same color/tonal qualities in the same position
in the scene. For me personally, the effect is very strong indeed. It's
always amusing to find a newspaper with the "what is different?" type
cartoons where there are two panels which have slightly different
details. By fusing the two together, it's possible to take a pen
and circle the differences in about 15 seconds - which always amazes
onlookers - especially if you have to turn them sideways in order to
get them to fuse easily.

THANKS ...

--Bob Wier

       mailto:wier@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
       10:10 PM Friday, July 30, 1999
     Unix/Internet Systems Administrator
    Rocky Mountain College, Billings, MT
      (currently in Ouray, Colorado)



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