Abstract
VISTA (VISual Translucent Algorithm) is a fast, 4-D cloudscape generator that includes simulation of haze and cloud- related visual phenomena such as cloud shadows, rainbows, and solar arcs. VISTA uses a meteorological sounding as input and produces cloud scenes using a backward ray tracing technique. The ray is checked for the first intersection of either 1) an opaque surface (thick cloud or surface), 2) a translucent layer, or 3) an optical refraction layer. Depending on the nature of this intersection, the specular reflection is calculated after taking into account direct illumination, if any. Placement of clouds depends on location of potential cloud layers, cloud domain characteristics, and gravity waves, while small (of order 1 meter) cloud structure is stochastically generated by a sawtooth generator. Background land surfaces can be deterministically (either real or hypothetical) input or can be stochastically generated.
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