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Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Measurement of Aerosols Optical Thickness of the Atmosphere using the GLOBE Handheld Sun Photometer
Published on: May 29, 2019
Analytic spectral functions for atmospheric transmittance calculations
Abstract:
Analytic formulas for the transition energies, intensities, and spectral absorption coefficients of the big (most intense) band systems of H(2)O and CO(2) are presented. Analytic spectral representations of the Chappuis band of O(3), three bands of O(2), and two bands of CH(4) are also given. These inputs in conjunction with band model transmission formulas can be used with spectral functions for the extraterrestrial solar irradiance and Rayleigh and aerosol attenuation for engineering-type calculations of the direct solar spectral irradiance reaching the ground between 0.35 and 4.5 microm. Several algorithms may then be used for estimating the diffuse irradiance.
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