What are skew rays known for in the context of optical fibers?

Skew rays are characterized by the fact that they travel through the optical fiber without intersecting the fiber's central axis. This is a significant feature as it distinguishes skew rays from other types of rays that may follow more predictable paths, such as axial or meridional rays, which either pass through or intersect the central axis of the fiber.

In the context of optical fibers, skew rays can contribute to the overall light transmission, but they do so in a way that is less straightforward than rays that travel along the principal axes. Understanding the behavior of skew rays is important because they can impact the overall efficiency and performance of light transmission in a fiber, especially as fibers have unique core geometries and refractive indices that influence how light propagates through them.

Other options may speak to the general behaviors of light within optical fibers or their roles in communication, but the unique characteristic of skew rays—traveling without passing through the axis—sets them apart in the discussion of fiber optics. This distinction is critical for understanding how light behaves in different modalities and configurations within optical systems.