Transfer of solar ultraviolet radiation through the earth's molecular atmosphere

Abstract

An extensive study of the scattering and absorption of solar ultraviolet radiation in the Earth's molecular atmosphere was recently completed for the spectral region 2875-3600 Å. Some results of the study are discussed in this paper to demonstrate the following: the appreciable contribution by the multiply-scattered radiation to the upward radiation emerging at the top of the atmosphere. This contribution is a function of wavelength, total ozone, and the directions of incidence and observation; and it can increase the intensity of the primary scattered radiation by a factor of two, the feasibility of obtaining useful information on the spatial distribution of atmospheric ozone from satellite measurements of the ultraviolet radiation backscattered by the Earth's atmosphere, the significant changes in the energy absorbed per unit mass at any level of a partly-absorbing atmosphere due to the scattering and the presence of ground reflection. The results are presented for two spectral regions where the scattering optical thickness is moderate but the absorption optical thickness varies by two orders of magnitude.