Radiative Transfer in the Atmospheres of Venus and the Earth.
Abstract
The flux and polarization reflected from a spherically symmetric planetary atmosphere is calculated by the Monte Carlo technique. Spherical geometry is used throughout the calculation with no plane-parallel approximations. The scattering angle for the photons is chosen from an appropriate single-scattering function calculated from Mie theory. The photons are followed through all orders of multiple scattering. Models considered for the Venus atmosphere include several single-layered models with various particle size distributions and one multilayered model. The results, when compared with experimental observations, suggest that the clouds are composed of particles having a mean radius of the order of 1 micron and a refractive index in the range from 1.45-1.6. Differences between theory and experiment may result from aspherical particles and a variation of the composition and size distribution of the particles with height in the atmosphere.
- Publication:
-
Ph.D. Thesis
- Pub Date:
- 1974
- Bibcode:
- 1974PhDT........11A
- Keywords:
-
- Physics: Astronomy and Astrophysics;
- Earth Atmosphere;
- Radiative Transfer;
- Venus Atmosphere;
- Geometry;
- Mie Scattering;
- Monte Carlo Method;
- Particle Size Distribution;
- Spheres;
- Lunar and Planetary Exploration