In article <3C49E792.62CAB2DC@scifi-fantasy.com>,
 Tim Cook <tim### [at] scifi-fantasycom> wrote:

> There's only 3 more values per ray for a more realistic simulation
> of light; amplidude/frequency/rotation around axis of travel...?

I think you would have to store more information, a bunch of "samples" 
around the axis of travel, interpolated with a spline if the 
calculations need it. Ordinary light isn't polarized in a single 
direction, it is a mix of photons polarized in all directions.
Frequency has more to do with color, and is a different issue. POV could 
assume all photons are in the same frequency range independant of 
polarization, and just store weight values specifying the percentage 
polarized at each angle. The more samples, the better the accuracy, but 
slower and using more memory.


> Speaking of something completely different...iridescence.  It's
> an interference pattern between two surfaces of oil or similar,
> how 'bout trying to do that the hard way in POV?  Should be
> doable even in 3.1g...I think I'll play around with that and
> such when I get back to my computer.

There is the "irid" finish feature, which is apparently somewhat based 
on reality, though not a physical simulation...
I don't know what you have in mind though...simulating the waveforms 
with the onion pattern?

-- 
 -- 
Christopher James Huff <chr### [at] maccom>

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