IMO, the easiest way to design and construct a window that would be operable,in that area, would be to place the Plexi-pane in vertical tracks to enable it to move up and down....full open window would move downward toward floor, this plexi would have a horizontal bottom track attached, and would contact stops at the bottom, to stop the top of the plexi at or just below the bottom of the window coaming. Stationary/fixed horizontal track at top of window coaming.( I have pretty much described the design in which auto windows have been constructed since the early days, minus any crank mechanism)....in it's absense pressure could be applied to the sides of the tracks via thumbscrews or other means to allow one to position window at any desired opening. I see vertical movement of any operable window in that area less intrusive of surrounding circumferentials and wall panels on either side,than one would experience in a horizontal design.
I may have gotten off track a bit pondering the design,... but,back to trying to determine whether or not the window pane is in place in the images.... To me, the shading is a result of the change in direction of the window coaming at the top and bottom, and the image ( what I believe to be the inner flange of the coaming) isn't able to reflect with the same intensity at the shaded areas,due to the angle change. I don't know if I am right, it is what I think I see...