Rayleigh scattering is the elastic scattering of light by particles much smaller than the light’s wavelength. This phenomenon is responsible for the blue color of the daytime sky. Shorter, blue wavelengths of sunlight are scattered more effectively by the nitrogen and oxygen molecules in the atmosphere than longer, red wavelengths, causing the sky to appear blue from an observer’s perspective.
The intensity of Rayleigh scattering is strongly dependent on the wavelength of the light, following an inverse fourth-power law: [latex]I \\propto \\lambda^{-4}[/latex]. This means that blue light (with a shorter wavelength, ~475 nm) is scattered about 16 times more intensely than red light (~700 nm) by the gas molecules in the atmosphere. When we look at the sky away from the direct sun, our eyes perceive this scattered blue light coming from all directions. Conversely, when the sun is near the horizon at sunrise or sunset, its light must travel through a much longer path in the atmosphere to reach the observer. By the time it does, most of the blue and green light has been scattered away from the direct line of sight, leaving the longer-wavelength oranges and reds to be seen. This same principle explains why distant clouds or mountains can appear bluish. Rayleigh scattering is distinct from Mie scattering, which is caused by particles of a size comparable to or larger than the wavelength of light (like water droplets in clouds) and is not strongly wavelength-dependent, which is why clouds appear white.
迎接新挑战
机械工程师、项目、工艺工程师或研发经理
可在短时间内接受新的挑战。
通过 LinkedIn 联系我
塑料金属电子集成、成本设计、GMP、人体工程学、中高容量设备和耗材、精益制造、受监管行业、CE 和 FDA、CAD、Solidworks、精益西格玛黑带、医疗 ISO 13485
(如果日期不详或不相关，例如 "流体力学"，则对其显著出现的时间作了四舍五入的估计）。
相关发明、创新和技术原理
{{标题}}
{%，如果摘录 %}{{ 摘录 | truncatewords：55 }}
{% endif %}
