Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2011
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011agufm.p11f1632m&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2011, abstract #P11F-1632
Physics
[0305] Atmospheric Composition And Structure / Aerosols And Particles, [0360] Atmospheric Composition And Structure / Radiation: Transmission And Scattering, [0669] Electromagnetics / Scattering And Diffraction, [3360] Atmospheric Processes / Remote Sensing
Scientific paper
Aerosol and cloud particles exert a strong influence on the regional and global climates of the Earth. More often than not it is impossible to collect samples of such particles and subject them to a laboratory test. Therefore, in most cases one has to rely on theoretical analyses of remote measurements of the electromagnetic radiation scattered by the particles. Fortunately, the scattering and absorption properties of small particles often exhibit a strong dependence on their size, shape, orientation, and refractive index. This factor makes remote sensing an extremely useful and often the only practicable means of physical and chemical particle characterization in atmospheric physics. For a long time remote-sensing studies had relied on measurements of only the scattered intensity and its spectral dependence. Eventually, however, it has become widely recognized that polarimetric characteristics of the scattered radiation contain much more accurate and specific information about such important properties of particles as their size, morphology, and chemical composition. The progress in polarimetric remote-sensing research has always been hampered by the fact that the human eye is "polarization blind" and responds only to the intensity of light impinging on the retina. As a consequence, to give a simple definition of polarization readily intelligible to a non-expert is almost as difficult as to describe color to a color-blind person. However, continuing progress in electromagnetic scattering theory coupled with great advances in the polarization measurement capability has resulted in overwhelming examples of the immense practical power of polarimetric remote sensing which are no longer possible to ignore. As a result of persistent research efforts, polarimetry has become one of the most informative, accurate, and efficient means of terrestrial remote sensing. The only space-borne polarimeter flown around the Earth has been the French instrument POLDER. The recent attempt to launch a more accurate aerosol-cloud polarimeter, called APS, as part of the NASA Glory Mission failed on 4 March 2011. However, much useful information has been obtained with the air-borne version of APS called RSP. In this talk I will briefly summarize the main results obtained with POLDER and RSP and discuss the prospects of polarimetric remote sensing from Earth-orbiting satellites.
Glory APS Science Team
Mishchenko Michael I.
No associations
LandOfFree
Polarimetric remote sensing of the Earth from satellites: a perspective does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Polarimetric remote sensing of the Earth from satellites: a perspective, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Polarimetric remote sensing of the Earth from satellites: a perspective will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-867826