Total eclipse watchers test theories on why shadow bands occur - CNN
cnn.com
Shadow bands ripple across the ground seconds before totality, and after centuries of watching, scientists still can't agree on what causes them.
Atmospheric OpticsWave DiffractionScientific Consensus TheoryObservational Bias
Theory Briefing
- Shadow bands appear as faint, rippling stripes on the ground just before and after a total solar eclipse reaches totality.
- The phenomenon has been observed for centuries, yet no single explanation has won scientific consensus.
- An upcoming eclipse is being treated as a fresh opportunity to gather data and test competing theories.
- Leading explanations involve atmospheric turbulence bending the last sliver of sunlight in unpredictable ways.