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Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Measurement of Aerosols Optical Thickness of the Atmosphere using the GLOBE Handheld Sun Photometer
Published on: May 29, 2019
Calculations of Reflected and Transmitted Radiance for Earth's Atmosphere
Abstract:
The reflected and transmitted radiance of the earth's atmosphere is calculated by Monte Carlo techniques. The exact scattering function for the aerosols is used as calculated from the Mie theory. The aerosol vs height distributions proposed by Elterman and by Kondratiev et al. are compared. The Rayleigh and aerosol scattering events are included in the calculation, as well as the ozone absorption, where appropriate. Results are given at wavelengths of 0.27 micro, 0.3 micro, 0.4 micro, 0.7 micro, and 1.67 micro. The mean optical paths of the reflected and transmitted photons, the flux at the lower boundary, and the planetary albedo are tabulated.
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