On the colours of spider orb-webs

Author: Suhr Wilfried   Schlichting H Joachim  

Publisher: IOP Publishing

ISSN: 0143-0807

Source: European Journal of Physics, Vol.32, Iss.2, 2011-03, pp. : 615-624

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Abstract

A sticky capture thread from the spiral element of spider orb-webs is formed of almost regularly spaced droplets that surround a supporting axial fibre. From the perspective of physical optics it represents a periodic linear array of scattering elements that acts as a diffraction grating. This is a novel aspect, which is of vital importance for the understanding of the overall scattering pattern. To demonstrate its significance, we present our experimental findings and compare them with results of a simplified model.

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