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Published on: May 10, 2020
Bidirectional reflectance of the moonlit Earth
Applied Optics
|January 30, 2010
Summary
Airglow photometer data reveals clouds reflect more light than open oceans across various wavelengths. These findings align with atmospheric models and previous satellite measurements.
Area of Science:
- Atmospheric optics
- Remote sensing
- Planetary science
Background:
- Understanding Earth's atmospheric radiance is crucial for remote sensing and climate studies.
- Previous studies have utilized satellite data to analyze atmospheric properties.
- Mathematical models provide theoretical frameworks for atmospheric light interaction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze and compare bidirectional reflectance of Earth's atmosphere over clouds and open ocean.
- To examine radiance variations at specific wavelengths using OGO-4 airglow photometer data.
- To validate findings against existing atmospheric models and satellite measurements.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the OGO-4 airglow photometer.
- Computed lunar spectral irradiances at the subsatellite point.
- Analyzed radiance at 3914 A, 5577 A, 5893 A, 6225 A, and 6300 A.
Main Results:
- Observed significantly higher radiance over clouds compared to open ocean.
- Bidirectional reflectance varied across the examined wavelengths.
- Data consistency confirmed with Plass and Kattawar's atmospheric models.
Conclusions:
- The study confirms distinct differences in atmospheric radiance between cloud-covered and open ocean surfaces.
- Findings support the accuracy of current atmospheric light scattering models.
- OGO-4 data provides valuable insights into Earth's atmospheric reflectance properties.
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