Clouds also absorb microwave radiation and harmful rays in and out of the Earth . . . http://www.udel.edu/Geography/DeLiberty/Geog474/geog474_energy_interact.html
Energy Interactions with the Atmosphere and at the Surface
[size=+1]Solar and Terrestrial Radiation[/size]
[size=+0]Most remote sensing instruments are designed to detect solar radiation and terrestrial radiation[/size]
[size=+0]Solar radiation[/size]
- [size=+0]emr emitted from sun which passes through the atmosphere and is reflected in varying degrees by Earth's surface and atmosphere[/size]
- [size=+0]detectable only during daylight[/size]
- [size=+0]Sun's visible surface (photosphere) has temperature - 6000K[/size]
- [size=+0]energy radiated from gamma to radio waves[/size]
- [size=+0]99% of sun's radiation fall between 0.2 - 5.6um; 80% - 0.4 - 1.5um (visible and reflected infrared, atmosphere quite transparent to incoming solar radiation[/size]
- [size=+0]maximum radiation occurs 0.48um (visible)[/size]
[size=-1]Problem Set (#2)[/size]
- [size=+0]about 1/2 of solar radiation passes through the atmosphere and absorbed in varying degrees by surface[/size]
[size=+0]Terrestrial radiation[/size]
- [size=+0]energy emitted from the Earth and atmosphere[/size]
- detectable both day and night
- Earth's ambient temperature - 300K
- Earth radiates 160,000 times less than the sun
- essentially all energy is radiated at (invisible) thermal infrared wavelengths between 4-25um
- maximum emission occurs at 9.7um
[size=-1]Problem Set (#3)[/size]
Wavelengths covering most of Earth's energy output are several times longer than those covering most of the solar output. Therefore, refer to following as:
terrestrial radiation - longwave radiation solar radiation - shortwave radiation
[size=+1]Radiation-Matter Interactions[/size] [size=+0]Incident radiation - energy impinges upon matter[/size]
- [size=+0]strongest source of incident radiation for earth is sun[/size]
- [size=+0]incoming solar radiation called Insolation[/size]
- [size=+0]full moon is 2nd strongest source[/size]
[size=+0]When EMR strikes matter 3 interactions may occurs:[/size]
- [size=+0]transmission[/size]
- [size=+0]reflection[/size]
- [size=+0]absorption[/size]
[size=+0]Proportion of energy that is transmitted, reflected or absorbed depends upon:[/size]
- [size=+0]composition and physical properties of medium[/size]
- [size=+0]wavelength or frequency of incident radiation[/size]
- [size=+0]angle at which incident radiation strikes a surface[/size]
[size=+0]Transmission[/size][size=+0] - process by which incident radiation passes through matter w/o measurable attenuation (transparent to radiation); cause change in velocity and wavelength but not frequency[/size]
[size=+0]Specular reflection - [/size][size=+0]process whereby incident radiation "bounces off" the surface of substance in a single, predictable direction; caused by surfaces smooth relative to wavelengths of incident radiation; no change in velocity or wavelength[/size]
[size=+0]Scattering (diffuse reflection) [/size][size=+0]- occurs when incident radiation is dispersed or spread out unpredictably in many different directions; occurs when surfaces rough relative to wavelengths of incident radiation; no change in velocity or wavelength[/size] [size=+0]
Absorption - process by which incident radiation is taken in by the medium (e.g., surface, atmospheric particulates, atmospheric layer); medium opaque to incident radiation[/size]
[size=+0]Interrelationships between energy interactions expressed as:[/size]
Equation (1)
[size=-1]Problem Set (#7)[/size]
[size=+0]Opaque materials transmit no incident radiation[/size]
[size=+0]Transparent material have little or no absorption and scattering[/size]
[size=+0]E.g.,[/size]
[size=+0]clear glass - high transmission, low reflection and absorption[/size]
[size=+0]fresh snow - high reflectance, low transmission and absorption[/size] [size=+0]fresh asphalt - high absorption, minimum transmission and reflection[/size]
[size=+1]EMR-Atmosphere Interactions[/size] [size=+0]EMR travels through space w/o modification[/size]
[size=+0]Diversion and depletions occurs as solar and terrestrial radiation interact with earth's atmosphere[/size]
[size=+0]Interference is wavelength selective - meaning at certain wavelengths emr passes freely through atmosphere, whereas restricted at other wavelengths[/size]
[size=+0]atmospheric windows (transmision bands) - areas of ems where specific wavelengths pass relatively unimpeded through atmosphere[/size]
[size=+0]absorption bands (atmospheric blinds) - areas where specific wavelengths are totally or partially blocked[/size]
[size=+0]Objective to study earth's surface - different remote sensing instruments designed to operate w/i windows where cloudless atmosphere will transmit sufficient radiation for detection[/size] [size=+0]Objective to study atmosphere constituents - operate in atmospheric windows and absorption bands[/size]
[size=+0]EMR interacts w/ atmosphere in # of ways:[/size]
- [size=+0]absorbed and reradiated at longer wavelengths (causes air temperature to rise)[/size]
[size=+0]reflected or scattered w/o change to either its velocity or wavelength[/size] [size=+0]transmitted in straight-line path directly through the atmosphere[/size]
[size=+0]Radiation Balance[/size]
[size=+0]Incoming solar radiation = Outgoing longwave radiation[/size]
[size=+0]100 = 35 (reflected - albedo) + 65 (terrestrial emitted)[/size]
[size=+0]Problem Set #5[/size]
[size=+1]Atmospheric Absorption and Transmission[/size] [size=+0]Most significant absorbers of EMR:[/size]
- [size=+0]ozone[/size] [size=+0]carbon dioxide[/size] [size=+0]water vapor[/size] [size=+0]oxygen[/size] [size=+0]nitrogen[/size]
[size=+0]Absorption-transmission characteristics of cloud-free atmosphere shows gases responsible for EMR absorption as function of wavelength[/size]
[size=+0]16% of shortwave solar radiation absorbed directly by atmospheric gases[/size]
[size=+0]2% by clouds[/size]
[size=+0]
Atmospheric gases - selective absorbers w/ reference to wavelength[/size]
- [size=+0]Gamma and X-ray - completely absorbed in the upper atmosphere by Oxygen and Nitrogen[/size]
[size=+0]Ultraviolet (<0.2um) - absorbed by molecules of oxygen (O and O2 combine form ozone); ozone absorbs UV w/ wavelengths -0.2-0.3um in stratosphere[/size]
[size=+0]0.9-2.7um - water vapor and carbon dioxide absorb in narrow bands[/size]
[size=+0]thermal infrared[/size]
- [size=+0]strong absorption by water vapor between 5-8um and 20um-1,000um (1cm)[/size]
- [size=+0]carbon dioxide absorbs 14-20um[/size]
- [size=+0]ozone 9-10um[/size]
[size=+0]absorbed radiation heats the lower atmosphere[/size]
- [size=+0]microwave region - 3 relatively narrow absorption bands occur between 0.1 - 0.6cm (oxygen and water vapor)[/size]
[size=+0]beyond 0.6cm , atmospheric gases generally do not impede passage of microwave radiation[/size]
[size=+0]Summary[/size]
- [size=+0]absorption of atmospheric gases has maximum influence in wavelengths <0.3um and minimum impact on wavelengths greater than 0.6cm[/size] [size=+0]important atmospheric windows exploited in remote sensing -[/size]
[size=-1]0.3 - 1.1um UV, visible, near infrared[/size]
[size=-1]1.5 - 1.8um Mid infrared[/size]
[size=-1]2.0 - 2.4um Mid infrared[/size]
[size=-1]3.0 - 5.0um Mid infrared[/size]
[size=-1]8.0 - 14.0um Thermal Infrared[/size]
[size=-1] (below ozone layer)[/size]
[size=-1]10.5 - 12.5 Thermal Infrared[/size]
[size=-1] (above ozone layer)[/size]
- [size=-1]>0.6cm Microwave[/size]
Atmospheric windows become less transparent when air is moist (high humidity)
Clouds absorb most of longwave radiation emitted from Earth's surface Microwave radiation (>0.9cm) capable of penetrating clouds
[size=+1]Atmospheric Scattering[/size] [size=+0]Scattering process disperses radiation in all directions[/size]
[size=+0]Important scattering agents include:[/size]
- [size=+0]gaseous molecules[/size]
- [size=+0]suspended particulates (aerosols)[/size]
- [size=+0]clouds[/size]
[size=+0]3 types of atmospheric scattering are important in remote sensing[/size]
[size=+0]Rayleigh (molecular) scattering[/size]
- [size=+0]- primarily caused by oxygen and nitrogen molecules (diameters at least 0.1 times smaller than affected wavelengths)[/size]
[size=+0]- most influential at altitudes above 4.5km[/size] [size=+0]- amount of scattering inversely proportional to fourth power of wavelength[/size]
[size=+0]Equation (2)[/size]
[size=+0]
E.g. UV at 0.3um scattered 16x as readily as red 0.6um[/size]
[size=+0]Blue 0.4um scattered about 5x as readily as red[/size]
- - blue sky - preferential scattering of blue wavelengths, clear sky appears blue in daylight; blue wavelengths reach our eyes - brilliant colors of sunrise/sunset - solar beam starts out as white light passes though long atmosphere path causing shorter wavelengths of sunlight to be scattered away leaving only longer red wavelengths that reach our eyes
[size=+0]Mie (nonmolecular) scattering[/size]
- [size=+0]- occurs when there are sufficient particles in atmosphere w/ mean diameter 0.1 to 10 times larger than wavelength under consideration[/size]
[size=+0]- caused by water vapor, tiny particles of smoke, dust, volcanic ejecta, salt crystals released from evaporation of sea spray[/size]
[size=+0]- most pronounced in lower 4.5km of atmosphere[/size] [size=+0]- wavelength dependence varies 1/wavelength[/size]
[size=+0]dependent on size distribution and concentration of mie particles[/size]
[size=+0]Clear atmosphere is a medium for both Rayleigh and Mie scattering[/size]
[size=+0]Nonselective scattering[/size]
- [size=+0]- occurs when lower atmosphere contains sufficient # of suspended aerosols (diameters 10 times larger than wavelengths under consideration)[/size]
[size=+0]- important agents include larger equivalents of Mie particles, water droplets and ice crystals that compose clouds and fogs[/size] [size=+0]- scattering is independent of wavelength (near UV, visible, near infrared)[/size]
[size=+0]clouds appear brilliant white - colorless water droplet and ice crystals scatter all wavelengths equally well w/i visible[/size]
[size=+1]Skylight and Haze[/size] [size=+0]Clear sky is source of illumination because its gases preferentially scatter shorter wavelengths of sunlight[/size]
[size=+0]diffuse radiation (skylight, sky radiation)[/size]
[size=+1]EMR - Surface Interactions[/size]
[size=+0]Natural and man-made (cultural) features of Earth's surface interact with solar radiation differently[/size]
[size=+0]On average, 50% of incident shortwave radiation on TOA reaches and interacts with Earth's surface features[/size]
[size=+0]50% incident @ surface = 4% reflected directly + 46% absorbed[/size]
[size=+0]Absorbed[/size]
[size=+0]- proportion of absorbed shortwave radiation is reradiated or emitted back to atmosphere as longwave terrestrial radiation (5%)[/size] [size=+0]- most heat emitted at wavelengths falling within thermal infrared atmospheric windows; contains information about different temperature properties of Earth's surface features[/size]
[size=+0]
Albedo - average amount of incident radiation reflected by an object/feature[/size]
[size=+0]Equation (3)[/size]
[size=+0]Albedo of Earth's - atmosphere system (50% cloud cover) - 30%[/size]
[size=+0]- meaning 30% of insolation is reflected, 70% absorbed[/size] [size=+0]- earth made visible from space only by its albedo[/size]
[size=+0]Earth's brightest features - clouds, snow and ice surfaces; darkest - water bodies[/size]
Percent reflected energy from Earth's surface objects/features
[size=+0]Albedo also helps explain how warm an object becomes when exposed to sunlight[/size]
[size=+0]-objects w/ high albedo are good reflectors but poor absorbers (dictates slow and small temperature increases)[/size]
[size=+0]- objects w/ low albedo are poor reflectors but good absorbers (dictates rapid and large jumps in temperature when exposed to sunlight)[/size]
[size=+0]
E.g., walking barefoot on black asphalt versus grass[/size]
[size=+0]wearing light or dark clothing on summer day[/size]
[size=+1]Spectral Signatures[/size]
[size=+0]Every natural and synthetic object reflects and emits emr over a range of wavelengths in its own characteristic way according to is chemical composition and physical state[/size]
[size=+0]
spectral signatures - distinctive reflectance and emittance properties of objects/features and their conditions[/size]
[size=+0]- w/i some limited wavelength region, particular object/feature or condition exhibit a diagnostic spectral response pattern that differs from other objects[/size] [size=+0]- remote sensing depends upon operation in wavelength regions where detectable differences in reflected and emitted radiation occur; features and their different conditions show enough variation to allow for individual identification[/size]
[size=+0]Typical spectral signature of vegetation, soil and water[/size]
