Z. Xu, D. K. P. Yue, L. Shen, and K. J. Voss, “Patterns and statistics of in-water polarization under conditions of linear and nonlinear ocean surface waves,” J. Geophys. Res. 116, C00H12 (2011).
[Crossref]

S. Sabbah, A. Barta, J. Gal, and G. Horvath, “Experimental and theoretical study of skylight polarization transmitted through Snell’s window on a flat surface,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 23, 1978–1988 (2006).
[Crossref]

G. Horváth and D. Varjú, “Underwater refraction-polarization patterns of skylight perceived by aquatic animals through Snell’s window of the flat water surface,” Vis. Res. 35, 1651–1666 (1995).
[Crossref]

W. K. Melville, “The instability and breaking of deep-water waves,” J. Fluid Mech. 115, 165–185 (1982).
[Crossref]

M. S. Longuet-Higgins, “The instabilities of gravity waves of finite amplitude in deep water II: subharmonics,” Proc. R. Soc. A 360, 489–505 (1978).
[Crossref]

S. Sabbah, A. Barta, J. Gal, and G. Horvath, “Experimental and theoretical study of skylight polarization transmitted through Snell’s window on a flat surface,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 23, 1978–1988 (2006).
[Crossref]

S. Sabbah, A. Barta, J. Gal, and G. Horvath, “Experimental and theoretical study of skylight polarization transmitted through Snell’s window on a flat surface,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 23, 1978–1988 (2006).
[Crossref]

S. Sabbah, A. Barta, J. Gal, and G. Horvath, “Experimental and theoretical study of skylight polarization transmitted through Snell’s window on a flat surface,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 23, 1978–1988 (2006).
[Crossref]

G. Horváth and D. Varjú, “Underwater refraction-polarization patterns of skylight perceived by aquatic animals through Snell’s window of the flat water surface,” Vis. Res. 35, 1651–1666 (1995).
[Crossref]

D. K. Lynch and W. Livingston, Color and Light in Nature (Cambridge University, 1995).

M. S. Longuet-Higgins, “The instabilities of gravity waves of finite amplitude in deep water II: subharmonics,” Proc. R. Soc. A 360, 489–505 (1978).
[Crossref]

D. K. Lynch and W. Livingston, Color and Light in Nature (Cambridge University, 1995).

W. K. Melville, “The instability and breaking of deep-water waves,” J. Fluid Mech. 115, 165–185 (1982).
[Crossref]

M. Minnaert, The Nature of Light and Colour in the Open Air (G. Bell, 1940).

S. Sabbah, A. Barta, J. Gal, and G. Horvath, “Experimental and theoretical study of skylight polarization transmitted through Snell’s window on a flat surface,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 23, 1978–1988 (2006).
[Crossref]

Z. Xu, D. K. P. Yue, L. Shen, and K. J. Voss, “Patterns and statistics of in-water polarization under conditions of linear and nonlinear ocean surface waves,” J. Geophys. Res. 116, C00H12 (2011).
[Crossref]

G. Horváth and D. Varjú, “Underwater refraction-polarization patterns of skylight perceived by aquatic animals through Snell’s window of the flat water surface,” Vis. Res. 35, 1651–1666 (1995).
[Crossref]

Z. Xu, D. K. P. Yue, L. Shen, and K. J. Voss, “Patterns and statistics of in-water polarization under conditions of linear and nonlinear ocean surface waves,” J. Geophys. Res. 116, C00H12 (2011).
[Crossref]

Z. Xu, D. K. P. Yue, L. Shen, and K. J. Voss, “Patterns and statistics of in-water polarization under conditions of linear and nonlinear ocean surface waves,” J. Geophys. Res. 116, C00H12 (2011).
[Crossref]

Z. Xu, D. K. P. Yue, L. Shen, and K. J. Voss, “Patterns and statistics of in-water polarization under conditions of linear and nonlinear ocean surface waves,” J. Geophys. Res. 116, C00H12 (2011).
[Crossref]

W. K. Melville, “The instability and breaking of deep-water waves,” J. Fluid Mech. 115, 165–185 (1982).
[Crossref]

Z. Xu, D. K. P. Yue, L. Shen, and K. J. Voss, “Patterns and statistics of in-water polarization under conditions of linear and nonlinear ocean surface waves,” J. Geophys. Res. 116, C00H12 (2011).
[Crossref]

S. Sabbah, A. Barta, J. Gal, and G. Horvath, “Experimental and theoretical study of skylight polarization transmitted through Snell’s window on a flat surface,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 23, 1978–1988 (2006).
[Crossref]

M. S. Longuet-Higgins, “The instabilities of gravity waves of finite amplitude in deep water II: subharmonics,” Proc. R. Soc. A 360, 489–505 (1978).
[Crossref]

G. Horváth and D. Varjú, “Underwater refraction-polarization patterns of skylight perceived by aquatic animals through Snell’s window of the flat water surface,” Vis. Res. 35, 1651–1666 (1995).
[Crossref]

Like the rainbow, Snell’s window has certainly been observed for tens and perhaps hundreds of thousands of years. While the first mention of it we could find was in Minnaert [2], it has probably been discussed and named many times, the identity of the first person to do so or publish it being long lost.

M. Minnaert, The Nature of Light and Colour in the Open Air (G. Bell, 1940).

P. Laven, http://www.philiplaven.com/p20.html (retrieved May2014).

Water waves are not sinusoidal but in most cases are close enough to sinusoids that the analysis presented here is indicative of real-world waves. Indeed, regardless of the wave shape, it is the maximum wave steepness that determines the size of Snell’s window.

D. K. Lynch and W. Livingston, Color and Light in Nature (Cambridge University, 1995).

But as any surfer can tell you, steep, shallow water waves can show smooth surfaces when breaking, e.g., “the curl,” “the tube,” etc.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Snell's_window,_St._Louis_Zoo.jpg .