TY - JOUR A1 - Vollmer, Michael A1 - Möllmann, Klaus-Peter T1 - Michelson Interferometer for your kitchen table JF - In: The Physics Teacher 46 (2008), 114-117 Y1 - 2008 SN - 0031-921x SP - 114 EP - 117 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Planinsic, G. A1 - Vollmer, Michael T1 - The surface to volume ratio in thermal physics: from cheese cube physics to animal metabolism JF - In: European Journal of Physics 29 (2008), 369-384 Y1 - 2008 SN - 0143-0807 SP - 369 EP - 384 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Vollmer, Michael A1 - Möllmann, Klaus-Peter A1 - Arnold, F. T1 - Locomotion by blowing into the sail of a sailboat? From a basic physics question to thrust reversal of jet airplanes JF - In: Physics Education 42 (2007), 369-377 Y1 - 2007 SN - 0031-9120 SP - 369 EP - 377 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Vollmer, Michael A1 - Möllmann, Klaus-Peter T1 - Infrared thermal imaging as a tool in university physics education JF - In: European Journal of Physics 28 (2007), S37-S50 Y1 - 2007 UR - http://iopscience.iop.org/0143-0807/28/3/S04/pdf/0143-0807_28_3_S04.pdf SP - 37 EP - 50 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Möllmann, Klaus-Peter A1 - Vollmer, Michael T1 - Measurements and predictions of the illuminance during a solar eclipse JF - In: European journal of physics 27 (2006), 1299-1314 N2 - Measurements of illuminance during a solar eclipse are presented. The data are compared to theoretical predictions, based on a geometrical model for obscuration. The model assumes a straight and uniform motion of the sun and moon as well as a spherical shape of both, i.e. it neglects any effects of limb darkening. Furthermore, the sun's disk is assumed to have homogeneous luminosity, i.e. any luminosity variations due to sun spots are neglected. Input parameters are the duration of the eclipse, the duration of totality, the impact parameter, i.e. the distance between the two trajectories of sun and moon, and the sizes of sun and moon. The model applies to all types of eclipses, partial, annular and total. Y1 - 2006 SP - 1299 EP - 1314 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Vollmer, Michael A1 - Gedzelman, S. D. T1 - Colors of the sun and moon : the role of the optical air mass JF - In: European journal of physics 27 (2006), 299-309 N2 - A geometric model for the optical air mass of the atmosphere is developed. Using the model, simple formulae are derived for the optical thickness of light passing through (1) a molecular atmosphere, (2) an atmosphere with uniformly distributed tropospheric aerosols and (3) atmospheres with elevated aerosol layers. The formulae are used to model the spectra and perceived colours of the Sun and Moon. Y1 - 2006 SP - 299 EP - 309 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Schneider, Werner B. A1 - Vollmer, Michael T1 - Experimental simulations of pollen coronas JF - In: Applied optics 44 (2005) 27, 5746-5753 N2 - A procedure to experimentally simulate pollen coronas is discussed. Observed coronas are due to pine and birch pollen having different geometries. Using computer simulations, two-dimensional projections of a large number of pollenlike objects with adjustable shapes, with or without preferential orientation and statistical or regular spatial distribution, are generated. The photograph of the printout allows samples with typical sizes between 20 and 200 µm. Their diffraction patterns can closely resemble the ones observed in nature and predicted by theory. © 2005 Optical Society of America Y1 - 2005 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.44.005746 SP - 5746 EP - 5753 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Möllmann, Klaus-Peter A1 - Lutz, Norbert A1 - Vollmer, Michael A1 - Wille, Ch. T1 - Thermography of Microsystems T2 - In: InfraMation proceedings Vol. 5 (2004), 183-196 Y1 - 2004 SP - 183 EP - 196 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Vollmer, Michael A1 - Greenler, Robert T1 - More Halo and Mirage Experiments in Atmospheric Optics JF - In: Applied Optics 42 (2003) 3, pp. 394-398 N2 - Some laboratory demonstrations on atmospheric optics are presented. The focus is on dispersion effects in mirages, lateral mirages, and inferior mirages produced with small hot plates. We also show a demonstration of the upper-tangent-arc halo, produced with a hexagonal prism, rotating about two axes. © 2003 Optical Society of America Y1 - 2003 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.42.000394 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Vollmer, Michael A1 - Tammer, Robert T1 - Laboratory Experiments in Atmospheric Optics JF - In: Applied optics 37 (1998) 9, pp. 1557-1568 N2 - Old and new laboratory experiments on atmospheric optics with a focus on mirages, rainbows, and halos are presented. Some qualitative demonstrations serve primarily didactical purposes, e.g., by proving the existence of curved light rays in media with a gradient of the index of refraction, by directly visualizing the minimum-deviation curve for rainbow paths in water droplets, or by helping to elucidate the ray classes in hexagons that contribute to a specific halo. In addition, quantitative experiments allow a direct comparison of angular positions and intensities with analytical computations or Monte Carlo simulations of light scattering from small water droplets or ice hexagons. In particular, the latter can help us to understand complex halo phenomena. © 1998 Optical Society of America Y1 - 1998 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.37.001557 SP - 1557 EP - 1568 ER -