The term impact parameter refers to a scale used on a ray-tracing diagram to measure the point at which incident rays strike the surface of a raindrop. Rays are given a value between 0.0 and 1.0 depending upon their point of impact.
- For a primary rainbow, all the incident rays of interest strike a raindrop between its horizontal axis (0.0 on the impact parameter scale) and the upper-most point (1.0 on the impact parameter scale). In the second case, the ray grazes the surface at 900 to the normal and continues on its course without deviation.
- For a secondary rainbow, all the incident rays of interest strike a raindrop between its horizontal axis (0.0 on the impact parameter scale) and the lowest point (1.0 on the impact parameter scale). In the second case, the ray grazes the surface at 900 to the normal and continues on its course without deviation.
- An impact parameter is useful because it allows the relationship between equidistant incident rays, the angle at which they strike the surface and their angle of refraction to be plotted.