The Optics of Shadow Bands
Branko Sretenović
physics.pop-ph, astro-ph.SR, physics.optics
Submitted: 2026-06-14
Comments: Version 2: Minor formatting update (font size, references). Scientific content unchanged. This preprint is accompanied by supplementary materials available at Zenodo: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20561234 . A supplementary and pedagogical exposition of this framework appears in the author's book The Optics of Shadow Bands (2025)
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
The gist: Shadow bands are transient, rippling patterns of light and dark that may appear in moments before and after totality in a solar eclipse.
Terminology
Abstract
Shadow bands are transient, rippling patterns of light and dark that may appear in moments before and after totality in a solar eclipse. Despite centuries of reports, their physical origin has remained unresolved. This preprint develops a geometric-optical solution in which the Sun's extended structure produces a celestial analogue of Young's double-slit experiment, generating an interference-like intensity pattern on the ground, modulated by Earth-atmosphere effects. The analysis combines solar limb geometry, atmospheric propagation effects, and a wave-based formulation that yields quantitative predictions for fringe width and spacing. The resulting model accounts for the principal observational features of shadow bands and clarifies why the phenomenon is both elusive and highly sensitive to viewing conditions.