Calcite

Practical significance

Calcite is considered to be particularly important for its link with climate evolution and water resources on Mars. Moreover, calcite is also found in the Earth's atmosphere.

Main constituent
Calcite
Particle size Mie: reff (μm)
3.3
Particle size Mie: veff
4.9
Particle size Fraunhofer: reff (μm)
1.7
Particle size Fraunhofer: veff
7.6
Size distribution plot:
Calcite size distribution
Size distribution table
Color
White powder
SEM/TEM images:
Calcite SEM image 1
Calcite SEM image 2
All SEM/TEM images (zip file)
Scattering matrix (1) wavelength in nm
647.00 nm
Scattering matrix (1) table
Scattering matrix (1) plot:
Scattering matrix elements Calcite - 647 nm
Scattering matrix (2) wavelength in nm
488.00 nm
Scattering matrix (2) table
Scattering matrix (2) plot:
Scattering matrix elements Calcite - 488 nm
Synthetic scattering matrix (1) wavelength in nm
488.00nm
Synthetic scattering matrix (1) table M
Synthetic scattering matrix (1) table F
Synthetic scattering matrix (2) wavelength in nm
647.00nm
Synthetic scattering matrix (2) table M
Synthetic scattering matrix (2) table F
Refractive index

Calcite is a uni-axial birefringent material, so it has one optic axis and, instead of one refractive index, it has a dielectric tensor specified by two principal dielectric functions, the ordinary (mo) and the extraordinary (me) refractive indices. At 647 nm no=1.655 and ne=1.485. The imaginary part is assumed to be zero (Gosh 1999).

Angle range (deg)
[3,177]