Brightness field of a spherical earth in the near infrared

The Monte Carlo method is used to calculate the brightness distribution of outgoing radiation in the spherical atmosphere in the spectral region of 0.7-2.2 microns for various surfaces (grassland, sea, snowfield, and one with zero albedo). It was found that the multiple scattered radiation over grasslands and snowfields was less than 10% of the total intensity for zenith angle less than 60 degrees and less than 20% for zenith angle between 60 and 70 degrees. Outgoing intensities are shown to be practically independent of vertical aerosol distribution and to depend only on spectral albedo and total aerosol bulk in the atmosphere.