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Atmospheric turbidity and the circumsolar radiation
Applied Optics
|February 20, 2010
Summary
Determining atmospheric turbidity from circumsolar radiation requires knowing aerosol particle size. Measuring both turbidity and aureole intensity provides insights into particle size distribution.
Area of Science:
- Atmospheric optics
- Aerosol science
Background:
- Turbidity is a key atmospheric parameter affecting solar radiation.
- Circumsolar radiation (CSR) and aureole intensity are influenced by atmospheric aerosols.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the relationship between atmospheric turbidity and circumsolar radiation intensity.
- To assess the feasibility of deriving turbidity from CSR measurements.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of circumsolar radiation intensity data.
- Correlation with atmospheric turbidity measurements.
- Consideration of aerosol particle size distribution models.
Main Results:
- A direct determination of turbidity from CSR intensity is only possible if the aerosol particle size distribution is known.
- Simultaneous measurements of turbidity and aureole intensity offer valuable information about aerosol size distribution.
Conclusions:
- Turbidity retrieval from CSR is conditional on prior knowledge of aerosol properties.
- Combined CSR and turbidity measurements are effective for characterizing aerosol size distributions.
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