Each of the spirals of light that are visible when polarized light which has been passed through two plates of left-handed and right-handed quartz is viewed through crossed Nicol prisms.
Origin
Late 19th century.
Definition of Airy spiral in US English:
Airy spiral
(also Airy's spiral)
noun
Physics Mathematics
Each of the spirals of light that are visible when polarized light which has been passed through two plates of left-handed and right-handed quartz is viewed through crossed Nicol prisms.