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Light reflected by an atmosphere containing irregular mineral dust aerosol
Author(s) -
Veihelmann B.,
Volten H.,
van der Zande W. J.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2003gl018229
Subject(s) - aerosol , scattering , mineral dust , single scattering albedo , light scattering , atmosphere (unit) , diffuse sky radiation , albedo (alchemy) , computational physics , atmospheric optics , forward scatter , spheres , light scattering by particles , polarization (electrochemistry) , particle (ecology) , optics , mie scattering , physics , geology , meteorology , chemistry , art , oceanography , astronomy , performance art , art history
We simulate polarimetric satellite observations of sunlight reflected by a turbid atmosphere over the ocean. We determine the sensitivity of these observations with respect to the optical thickness and the single‐scattering albedo of irregular mineral aerosol. Simulated results indicate that both quantities can be retrieved from simultaneous polarization and intensity measurements. Aerosol scattering is modelled using a true measured scattering matrix of irregularly‐shaped mineral dust aerosol. We study the suitability of various approximations of the particle shape used for the numerical calculation of scattering matrices. Approximations with spheres or spheroids with a distribution of moderate axis ratios can lead to large errors of the simulated light intensities. A spheroidal approximation including extreme axis ratios is found to be the most appropriate one for simulations of light scattering by irregular mineral aerosol particles, if measured scattering matrices are not available.