To identify the far-infrared (FIR) absorption bands related to K cations in micas, spectra of muscovite, phlogopite, and biotite were compared with the spectra of pyrophyllite and talc, which have no compensating cations, and to the spectra of micas in which K is substituted by mono- and divalent cations. Dichroic experiments using single crystals of these micas showed that some of the bands or components related to K have a strong in-plane and out-of-plane dichroic character. These experimental data led to the assignment of the FIR bands at 110, 91, and 83 cm−1 for muscovite, phlogopite, and biotite, respectively, which have no in-plane and out-of-plane dichroic character, to the vibration of the double ring of oxygen atoms that constitutes the cage in which K is located (mode III).

Bands at 146, 136, and 152 cm−1 for muscovite, phlogopite, and biotite, respectively, which have a strong out-of-plane dichroic character, were assigned to the out-of-plane vibrations of K atoms (mode IV). Some of the components at 190, 158–153, and 145–124 cm−1 for muscovite, phlogopite, and biotite, respectively, which have a strong in-plane dichroic character, are possibly related to the in-plane vibrations of K atoms (modes I and II). The 165-cm−1 band of muscovite is a lattice mode of vibration. Frequencies of modes III and IV of the compensating cations of micas in which K was substituted by mono- and divalent cations exchanged as a function of $\sqrt{Z/m}$ where Z is the charge and m the mass of the cation. Modes III and IV were well resolved and very sensitive to the crystallochemical properties of the structure (di- or trioctahedral character, Fe content, etc.). FIR spectroscopy may therefore be an important tool that uses compensating cations as probes to study the interactions between the cations and the structure of mica minerals.

To assign far infrared (FIR) absorption bands of K+ in muscovite, dichroic experiments were performed. For a muscovite crystal rotated about a crystallographic axis, c*, a, or b, two bands corresponding to vibration modes of K+ appear, respectively, at 107 and 110 cm−1 (rotation about c*), 107 and 143 cm−1 (rotation about a), and 110 and 143 cm−1 (rotation about b). Two in-plane modes at 107 and 110 cm−1 and one out-of-plane mode at 143 cm−1 are identified for the vibrations of K+ in muscovite. Each of these transition moments are near the crystallographic axes b, a, and c, respectively. These observations match well predictions based on the approximate C3i symmetric environment of K+, although the site symmetry in the space group of muscovite is only C2.

The retinas of anchovies have two unique photoreceptor types: “bifid” and “long” cones (Fineran & Nicol, 1976). The outer segments of these cells contain multiple layers of membranes (lamellae) oriented longitudinally (axially). This orientation is distinct from that in all other vertebrate rods and cones, where the lamellae are stacked transversely with their planes perpendicular to the incident light path. Although the common arrangement provides optimal absorption for normally incident light rays, it is also insensitive to the rays' direction of vibration (i.e. their polarization). In contrast, the two mutually perpendicular sets of axially oriented lamellae segregated into bifid and long cones could function as the principal analyzers for linearly polarized light, as previously hypothesized (Fineran & Nicol, 1976, 1978). Here, we report on a microspectrophotometric study that shows (1) the presence of two spectrally distinct visual pigments in the three photoreceptor types of the bay anchovy retina; these are typical vertebrate pigments in that they bleach, when exposed to light, and have absorption spectra like all other vitamin A1-based visual pigments; (2) that the rods and cones exhibit dichroic absorption of light in accordance with their lamellar orientation, and (3) that the two cone types of the retina contain a spectrally indistinguishable pigment with peak absorbance (λmax) around 540 nm, while the rods contain a rhodopsin-like pigment with λmax near 500 nm. Compared to other vertebrates, anchovies are remarkable for using a monochromatic cone system with unusual specializations supportive of a polarization detection system.