Computer Science – Sound
Scientific paper
Oct 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010dps....42.2708r&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #42, #27.08; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 42, p.1061
Computer Science
Sound
1
Scientific paper
The NASA Astrobiology Institute's Virtual Planetary Laboratory 3-D line-by-line, multiple-scattering spectral Earth model generates spatially- and temporally-resolved synthetic spectra and images of Earth. The model can be used to simulate Earth's spectrum as it would appear to a distant observer at arbitrary viewing geometry over wavelengths from the far-ultraviolet to the far-infrared on timescales from minutes to years. We have validated our model against data from NASA's EPOXI mission, which obtained spatially- and temporally-resolved visible photometric (0.3-1.0 um) and near-infrared spectroscopic (1.05-4.8 um) observations of Earth on three dates. Further validations include comparisons to photometric Earthshine observations (0.4-0.7 um) which span a wide range of Earth phase as well as comparisons to date-specific, high spectral resolution mid-infrared observations (6-15 um) of Earth acquired by the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder aboard NASA's Aqua satellite. To reproduce the available observations we have run the model at a spatial resolution of almost 200 pixels, an atmospheric resolution of 48 pixels, and a cloud treatment with 4 categories of water clouds. Our validated model can now be used as a tool for feasibility studies for future space-based planet detection missions (e.g., NASA's Terrestrial Planet Finder). The model can also be used to better understand sensitivity to global signatures of habitability and life in disk-integrated spectra of Earth. Example applications include an investigation into the ability of Earth's atmosphere and clouds to obscure direct surface temperature measurements from thermal-infrared observations as well as a study of the phase-dependent contribution of Earth's ocean "glint spot” to the overall brightness of the planet. The "glint spot" is generated by specular reflection of sunlight on Earth's oceans and could potentially be used to detect oceans on extrasolar planets. Both clouds and oceans exhibit phase-dependent reflectance behaviors, possibly obscuring the detection of, or eliminating, the ocean glint.
Crisp Dave
Meadows Vikki
Robinson Tyler D.
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