double mirage

   The term double mirage is indebted to the French verb se mirer, which means to reflect or to be reflected. It is used to denote a * mirage or * physical illusion consisting of a combined * superior and * inferior mirage. Inferior mirages are believed to result from light waves reflected upward, away from the surface ofthe earth, while superior mirages are believed to stem from light waves first bent upward, and then downward. The double mirage is a relatively rare * optical illusion attributed to a combination of these two types of light reflection. The term double mirage is used in opposition to the terms inferior mirage, superior mirage, and * lateral mirage.

   References

   Lynch, D.K., Livingston, W. (1995). Color and light in nature. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.