Author(s): Aleksey Shestov
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Keywords: No keywords
Abstract: This article addresses the optical reasoning of the widely used method of thin sectioning to study the microstructure of the sea ice. The application of the method in education and research is briefly discussed. Birefringence is the crucial property of ice crystal which is utilized in this method to distinguish ice grains, their size, geometrical and optical orientation. Principles of the optical phenomena are explained, and retardation of ordinary and extraordinary rays relative to each other is calculated. Based on retardation, spectral intensity function introduced by ice crystal to incident ray is obtained, and as a result, the formation of the color of the individual crystal is explained. Using spectral intensity function, the distinguishability measure of the individual crystal is formulated, and optimal geometrical thickness of thin section sample is advised. In the end, few practical aspects for observation of the thin section samples in the laboratory, as resulted from the optical reasoning, are given. The article is believed to be of interest both for research and teaching process.
Year: 2018