%0 Journal Article
%T Circularly and elliptically polarized light under water and the Umov effect
%J -
%D 2019
%R https://doi.org/10.1038/s41377-019-0143-0
%X Total internal reflection occurs when light is incident on the interface of high- and low-refractive-index materials at an angle greater than the critical angle. Sunlight with high degree of linear polarization, such as atmospheric scattered skylight, can be converted with a high efficiency up to 53% to circular and elliptical polarizations by total internal reflection under water in the region outside Snell¡¯s window. The degree of circular polarization is observed to be inversely dependent on the albedo of underwater objects and is shown to be a direct consequence of the Umov effect. Our results are important for underwater polarimetry, surveillance applications and studies of marine animals¡¯ polarized vision near the water-air interface
%U https://www.nature.com/articles/s41377-019-0143-0