Multiple scattering calculation of the middle ultraviolet reaching the ground

We use a multiple channel solution to the radiative transfer equation, a computationally fast method which achieves reasonable accuracy. The method is applied to the problem of light scattering in a turbid atmosphere in the 280-340 nm wavelength region to calculate the direct, downward diffuse and global flux reaching the ground. This spectral region is of particular interest in studies of the biological effects of possible depletion of the ozone layer by a future fleet of supersonic transport planes. We input atmospheric conditions in terms of analytic models chosen to encompass standard ozone and aerosol distributions.We examine the changes in the results with respect to the variations of the solar zenith angle, wavelength ozone thickness, aerosol thickness, ground albedo, and ground height level. The results are fairly well represented by a semiempirical analytic formula which may be used for the purposes of interpolation and communication.