SEDL / STP / STP1525-EB / STP49263S

Polarizing Filters in Ski Sports

Lingelbach, Bernd
Professor and Head, Institute of Optometry Aalen (IfAA), Abtsgmuend/Leinroden,

Jendrusch, Gernot
Biologist, Sport Scientist, Assistant Chairman, Ruhr-Univ. Bochum, Bochum,

Pages: 10    Published: Jan 2011

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Abstract

Polarizing filters are suitable, e.g., for driving/motoring. They also have great advantages for sailing or angling. But are they useful in alpine skiing? A natural source for at least partly polarized light is not only the scattered light in the sky but also the reflected light on special materials. The reflected light on snow might be partly polarized, especially for compressed snow (traces in the snow) or ice patches. Depending on the direction of the polarization of a filter, the amount of information might be reduced in a skiing area because these polarized icy patches might become invisible.