Attenuation of Visible Energy in a Polluted Atmosphere

Abstract

Atmospheric attenuation at visible wavelengths in polluted atmospheres cannot necessarily be predicted accurately from visibility statistics. This report discusses human vision under different lighting conditions. The eye has much less than its maximum sensitivity where molecular absorption by pollutants is strongest. However, it was concluded that molecular absorption at visible wavelengths is rarely large enough to be a serious problem. Scattering is the primary cause of low visibilities in the atmosphere. Scattering is also the main cause of really large extinction coefficients throughout the visible portion of the spectrum.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 1987
Accession Number
ADA203704

Entities

People

  • Dorathy A. Stewart

Organizations

  • United States Army Aviation and Missile Command

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Absorption
  • Absorption Coefficients
  • Atmospheric Attenuation
  • Brightness
  • Coefficients
  • Daylight
  • Diurnal Variations
  • Electromagnetic Radiation
  • Electromagnetic Scattering
  • Electromagnetic Spectra
  • Light Sources
  • Nitrogen Oxides
  • Optical Properties
  • Optics
  • Scattering
  • Spectra
  • Water Vapor

Readers

  • Electromagnetic Wave Scattering and Antenna Radiation Engineering
  • Groundwater Contamination Remediation.
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.