All Questions
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Why is the time taken for light propagation between two points in anisotropic media independent of $y$?
Background
Light propagating in an anisotropic medium does not (in general) take a straight-line path between two points. The propagation time between those points, then, is dependent on the total ...
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Equations of Fermat's principle/Snell's law in a gradient lens (sugar aquarium)
I'm trying to animate a beam of light inside a substance with gradient index of refraction as a function of y. A good example of that is a syrup inside an aquarium like here https://www.youtube.com/...
4
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Fermat's principle in exponential refraction [closed]
Determine path light will travel in a index of refraction described as $n(y)=1+be^{-ry}$. Let the light start off at the origin (0,0) and go to the point (L,0). Determine the equation that must be ...
2
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Help With Calculus of Variations
I've been given the problem
"Use Fermat's Principle to find the path followed by a light Ray if the index of refraction is proportional to $y^{-1}$."
Honestly I'm not too sure at all how to begin....
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2
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Refraction of light in medium
Given that the plane $y=0$ separates the vacuum ($y>0$) from the optical medium ($y<0$), I would like to calculate the trajectory of a light ray starting at the point $(x_1,y_1)$ and ending in $(...