Bernardo Cesare is a Professor of Petrology at the Department of Geosciences of the University of Padova, Italy. His scientific interests include metamorphism and melting of rocks, mineralogy, and the study of inclusions in minerals. He extensively uses photomicroscopy to describe the subjects of study and their morphological features.
Cesare's photomicrographs were captured with a digital reflex camera mounted on a
polarizing microscope. After shooting the image, no manipulation is involved. The interference colors are the result of natural propogation of polarized light into minerals, and of the use of the microscope compensator λ. In order for the rock sections to be transparent, all rock samples are cut, sliced, and thinned down to a 30-micron (0.03mm) thickness and mounted on a glass holder. This is the standard "thin section" research technique of geologists.
![Polarizing microscopy image of Charoite Rocks.]( "Charoite Rock from Russia under a polarizing microscope.") |
| Charoite, A Rock from Russia © Bernardo Cesare |
![Polarizing microscope image of Agat.]( "Agat rock from Brazil under a polarizing microscope.") |
| Agat, A Rock from Brazil © Bernardo Cesare |
![Polarizing microscopy images of Tiger's Eye from South Africa.]( "Tiger's Eye under a polarizing microscope") |
| Tiger's Eye from South Africa © Bernardo Cesare |
![Sugar under a polarizing microscope.]( "Polarizing microscope image of sugar") |
| Sugar Crystals from a drying drop of Liquer © Bernardo Cesare |
![Sugar crystals under the polarizing microscope using the compensator.]( "Sugar under a polarizing microscope.") |
| Sugar © Bernardo Cesare |
![Polarizing microscopy image of a plastic bag.]( "Plast food bag under the polarizing microscope") |
| Fragment of a Vacuum Plastic Food Bag © Bernardo Cesare |
![Polarizing microscopy image of rock thin sections and minerals.]( "Rocks and minerals under a polarizing microscope.") |
| Rock Deformations © Bernardo Cesare |
