Energy-Atmosphere
Interactions:- Scattering,
Absorption, Refraction,
Path Radiance,
Reflection, Transmission,
Absorption
Absorption
It is the process in which radiation is absorbed and converted into
other forms when radiant energy passing through the atmospheric.
In electromagnetic spectrum, there is a range of absorption within
which incident energy is absorbed.
In atmosphere, three main atmospheric constituents is there:- ozone,
carbon dioxide, water vapour that absorb incident energy.
Ozone protect us from ultraviolet radiation
Carbon dioxide absorbs incident energy in the far infrared portion of
the spectrum.
Water vapour absorb much of the incoming longwave infrared and
shortwave microwave radiations.
Whole spectral region are affected by absorption of the atmosphere but
some are less affected or we can say nearly transparent. That region is
called atmospheric windows. This region is useful for remote sensing.
Scattering
Scattering occur when particles interact with and cause re-emit light in
different directions with different intensity.
Scattering depends on several factors:- the wavelength of the radiation, size
of particles, distance the radiation travels through the atmosphere.
The amount of scattering is inversely proportional to the fourth power of
wavelength of radiation.
Scattering is responsible for the blue appearance of the sky.
There are three type of scattering:- Rayleigh, Mie Scattering, Non-
Selective Scattering
Rayleigh:- size of particles is less compare to the wavelength of
radiation(SOP>Wavelength)
Mie-Scattering:- size of particle is same size as the wavelength of the
radiation(SOP=Wavelength)
Non-Selective Scattering:- the particle size are much longer than the
Path Radiance
Path radiation is the radiation detected by a space sensor on a
non-reflective surface, and is the result of backscattering of
particles and molecules in the atmosphere into space.
Under certain measurement conditions, the path radiation can
also be measured from the ground.
Reflection
It is process in which energy is reflected from a target. When a ray of light is redirected
as it a strikes a non-transparent surface.
Reflection depends:- on size of surface irregularities in relation to the wavelength of
radiation.
It differ from the scattering in the way that scattering is unpredictable but reflection is
predictable.
It occur both in atmospheric and terrain.
If the surface height variations are less than wavelength it means surface is considered
to be smooth otherwise it is rough. On the basis of smooth and rough. There are two type
of reflection:- (1) Specular (2) Diffuse Reflection
Specular:- it occur when the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection when a ray
strikes a non-transparent medium.
Diffuse:- in diffuse reflection, reflection energy is reflected almost uniformly in all
directions.
Refraction & Transmission
o Refraction refer to the bending of light when it passes form one medium to
another.
o Refraction occur because the media are of different densities and the
speed of EMR is different in each medium.
o The index of refraction(n) is a measure of the optical density of a
substance.
o The index of refraction must always be greater than 1.
o Water and atmosphere affected by refraction of light.
Transmission:- When light passes through a material like glass without
being reflected, absorbed, or dispersed, this is called transmission.
When radiation (energy) is absorbed into a target, absorption (A) happens,
whereas transmission (T) occurs when radiation passes through a target.
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