Diffraction calculation of occultation light curves in the presence of an isothermal atmosphere

Abstract

From diffraction theory, light curves are calculated for stellar occultations by a planetary body with an isothermal atmosphere. The character of the resulting curves is determined by the scale height H, the Fresnel zone size l, the surface atmospheric refractivity, and the planetary radius. An exact general solution and two approximations are presented which are valid when H is much greater than l. The importance is assessed of accounting for diffraction effects of the limb when deducing atmospheric parameters from occultation light curves