Lecturer: Prof. Sir Michael Victor Berry
Affiliation: H H Wills Physics Laboratory,
University of Bristol, England
Abstract:
Optical phenomena visible to everyone
have been central to the development of,
and abundantly illustrate, important
concepts in science and mathematics. The
phenomena considered include rainbows,
sparkling reflections on water, mirages,
green flashes, earthlight on the moon,
glories, daylight, crystals, and the squint
moon. The concepts include refraction,
caustics (focal singularities of ray optics),
wave interference, numerical experiments,
mathematical asymptotics, dispersion,
complex angular momentum (Regge
poles), polarization singularities,
Hamilton’s conical intersections of
eigenvalues (‘Dirac points’), geometric
phases, and visual illusions.