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Retrieval of the columnar aerosol phase function and single-scattering albedo from sky radiance over the ocean - SimulationsBased on the fact that the part of downward radiance that depends on the optical properties of the aerosol in the atmosphere can be extracted from the measured sky radiance, a new scheme for retrieval of the aerosol phase function and the single-scattering albedo over the ocean is developed. This retrieval algorithm is tested with simulations for several cases. It is found that the retrieved aerosol phase function and the single-scattering albedo are virtually error-free if the vertical structure of the atmosphere is known and if the sky radiance and the aerosol optical thickness can be measured accurately. The robustness of the algorithm in realistic situations, in which the measurements are contaminated by calibration errors or noise, is examined. It is found that the retrieved value of omega(0) is usually in error by less than about 10 percent, and the phase function is accurately retrieved for theta less than about 90 deg. However, as the aerosol optical thickness becomes small, e.g., less than about 0.1, errors in the sky radiance measurement can lead to serious problems with the retrieval algorithm, especially in the blue. The use of the retrieval scheme should be limited to the red and near IR when the aerosol optical thickness is small.
Document ID
19930070913
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Wang, Menghua
(NASA Headquarters Washington, DC United States)
Gordon, Howard R.
(Miami Univ. Coral Gables, FL, United States)
Date Acquired
August 16, 2013
Publication Date
August 20, 1993
Publication Information
Publication: Applied Optics
Volume: 32
Issue: 24
ISSN: 0003-6935
Subject Category
Geophysics
Accession Number
93A54910
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS5-31734
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS5-31363
CONTRACT_GRANT: JPL-959033
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAGW-273
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS5-30911
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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