The spatial and directional behaviour of the polarized radiation in a plane-parallel molecular atmosphere

Details The spatial and directional behaviour of the polarized radiation in a plane-parallel molecular atmosphere The spatial and directional behaviour of the polarized radiation in a plane-parallel molecular atmosphere

Feb 1993

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1993adspr..13..205w&link_type=abstract

Advances in Space Research (ISSN 0273-1177), vol. 13, no. 2, p. 205-208.

Computer Science

1

Linear Polarization, Molecular Gases, Polarized Radiation, Rayleigh Scattering, Albedo, Atmospheric Composition, Balloon Flight, Optical Thickness

Scientific paper

Results of a numerical study concerning the spatial and directional behavior of the intensity and polarization in a plane-parallel nonabsorbing molecular atmosphere, as may be observed from a balloon, are discussed. The molecules are assumed to be isotropic. Intermediate solar altitudes are considered. We find that the degree and direction of the linear polarization are nearly independent of optical depth in a Rayleigh scattering atmosphere with optical thickness smaller than about 0.2, bounded below by a black surface. In such an atmosphere the angular distribution of the intensity at each optical depth has sharp peaks near horizontal directions. If a Lambertian reflecting surface with albedo 0.2 is placed below this atmosphere, the degree of linear polarization clearly varies with optical depth for upward radiation but changes little with optical depth for downward radiation. The direction of the linear polarization is almost the same for the cases of the Lambertian surface and the black surface. The radiation in a thicker atmosphere, in general, shows more variation with optical depth and in each vertical plane the peaks in intensity as a function of nadir angle are broader. Moreover, these peaks move from the near horizontal to more downward directions as optical depth increases.

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