Polarization patterns under different sky conditions and a navigation method based on the symmetry of the AOP map of skylight

Abstract

The polarization states of a skylight can be used for navigation by a lot of insects as well as by human beings. However, the polarization patterns of skylight are greatly influenced by the atmospheric conditions. This paper studied the polarization patterns of skylight under different sky conditions by polarized imaging measurements, in which the AOT (Aerosol Optical Thickness) and clouds were taken into account. The results showed that both the aerosol and cloud disturbed the polarization patterns of the skylight, but the patterns of AOP (Angle of Polarization) showed great robustness. The symmetry of the AOP images was found to be quite steady under most of the sky conditions. We proposed a navigation method by finding out the solar meridian according to the symmetry of an AOP map. The results showed that the solar meridian can be identified accurately under different situations. The calculation errors slightly fluctuated along with the aerosol and cloud.