Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 12, 2026
06:27
Measurement of Aerosols Optical Thickness of the Atmosphere using the GLOBE Handheld Sun Photometer
Published on: May 29, 2019
Simplified ultraviolet and visible wavelength atmospheric propagation model
Applied Optics
|June 16, 2010
Summary
A new computer program models atmospheric light scattering and lidar signals across UV and visible wavelengths. It accounts for molecular and particulate effects, aiding atmospheric research and remote sensing applications.
Area of Science:
- Atmospheric Science
- Optical Remote Sensing
- Computational Physics
Background:
- Accurate modeling of atmospheric propagation is crucial for lidar applications.
- Existing models may not fully capture UV and visible wavelength behaviors.
- Understanding lidar return requires detailed atmospheric transmission and backscatter calculations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a user-friendly FORTRAN program for modeling atmospheric propagation and lidar return.
- To integrate transmission, backscatter (Mie and fluorescence), and sky radiance calculations.
- To provide a tool for analyzing atmospheric conditions at visible and UV wavelengths.
Main Methods:
- Developed a modular, menu-driven FORTRAN program for IBM PC compatibility.
- Incorporated codes for transmission, Mie and fluorescence lidar backscatter, and sky background radiance.
- Modeled atmospheric attenuation from molecular scattering, absorption, and particulates.
- Parametrized aerosol attenuation based on visual range for UV and visible wavelengths.
Main Results:
- The program successfully models atmospheric propagation and lidar return.
- Aerosol attenuation model shows good agreement with visual range data.
- The model's wavelength dependence approximates UV and visible horizontal attenuation.
- Comparison with AFGL standard aerosol models and experimental data was performed.
Conclusions:
- The developed program offers a comprehensive tool for atmospheric lidar modeling.
- The model provides a practical approach to estimating aerosol attenuation using visual range.
- This user-friendly software facilitates research in atmospheric optics and remote sensing.
Related Concept Videos
01:02Ultraviolet and Visible (UV–Vis) Spectroscopy: Overview
Ultraviolet–visible (UV–visible or UV–Vis) spectroscopy is an analytical technique that investigates the interaction between matter and UV–Vis light within the electromagnetic spectrum. This method is widely used for its versatility, simplicity, and relatively quick data acquisition, making it valuable for both qualitative and quantitative analysis. When UV–Vis radiation passes through a material, molecules absorb light depending on the energy required for electronic transitions. As a result...
01:16UV–Vis Spectroscopy: Molecular Electronic Transitions
In Ultraviolet–Visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, the absorption of electromagnetic radiation is used to probe the electronic structure of molecules. This technique provides insights into molecular electronic transitions, particularly the movement of electrons between different molecular orbitals. Radiation is absorbed if the energy of the electromagnetic radiation passing through the molecule is precisely equal to the energy difference between the excited and ground states. During this process,...
01:14UV–Vis Spectrometers
The absorbance of UV and visible (UV–visible) radiations is measured using a UV–visible spectrophotometer. Deuterium lamps, which emit UV radiation, and tungsten lamps, which produce radiation in the visible region, are used as light sources in UV–visible spectrophotometers. A monochromator or prism is used for diffraction grating, i.e., to split the incoming radiation into different wavelengths. A system of slits is used to focus the desired wavelength on the sample cell. Samples for...
01:16IR Spectroscopy: Hooke's Law Approximation of Molecular Vibration
A covalently bonded heteronuclear diatomic molecule can be modeled as two vibrating masses connected by a spring. The vibrational frequency of the bond can be expressed using an equation derived from Hooke's law, which describes how the force applied to stretch or compress a spring is proportional to the displacement of the spring. In this case, the atoms behave like masses, and the bond acts like a spring.
According to Hooke's law, the vibrational frequency is directly proportional to the...
According to Hooke's law, the vibrational frequency is directly proportional to the...
01:30Propagation Speed of Electromagnetic Waves
Electromagnetic waves are consistent with Ampere's law. Assuming there is no conduction current Ampere's law is given as:
01:07Propagation of Waves
When a wave propagates from one medium to another, part of it may get reflected in the first medium, and part of it may get transmitted to the second medium. In such a case, the interface of the two mediums can be considered as a boundary that is neither fixed nor free.
Consider a scenario where a wave propagates from a string of low linear mass density to a string of high linear mass density. In such a case, the reflected wave is out of phase with respect to the incident wave, however the...
Consider a scenario where a wave propagates from a string of low linear mass density to a string of high linear mass density. In such a case, the reflected wave is out of phase with respect to the incident wave, however the...