Abstract

The polarization and radiance of the reflected and transmitted radiation is calculated for a continental haze model and for a nimbostratus cloud model. The complex part- of the index of refraction n₂ is varied from 0 to 1 in the calculation. Various surface albedos and optical thicknesses for the haze and cloud are considered. The polarization is an especially sensitive function of these parameters. For a thin cloud the reflected polarization depends strongly on the surface albedo. Large polarizations often occur, even at large optical thicknesses, when the single scattering albedo is small, because of the small number of multiple scattered photons. The mean optical path, diffuse flux, and cloud albedo are also discussed.

© 1969 Optical Society of America

Infrared Cloud Radiance

George W. Kattawar and Gilbert N. Plass
Appl. Opt. 8(6) 1169-1178 (1969)

Influence of Particle Size Distribution on Reflected and Transmitted Light from Clouds

George W. Kattawar and Gilbert N. Plass
Appl. Opt. 7(5) 869-878 (1968)

Radiative Transfer in Water and Ice Clouds in the Visible and Infrared Region

G. N. Plass and G. W. Kattawar
Appl. Opt. 10(4) 738-748 (1971)

Radiance and Polarization of Light Reflected from Optically Thick Clouds

G. W. Kattawar and G. N. Plass
Appl. Opt. 10(1) 74-80 (1971)

Influence of Single Scattering Albedo on Reflected and Transmitted Light from Clouds

Gilbert N. Plass and George W. Kattawar
Appl. Opt. 7(2) 361-367 (1968)