Polarized-radiation transfer in atmospheric aggregates using the Mie-Rayleigh limit

• Polarized-radiative transfer through atmospheric aggregates.
• Rayleigh limit of Mie scattering of small aerosol particles.
• Planar semi-infinite medium with diffuse reflecting boundary.
• Radiative-transfer properties (Reflectivity, Energy, Flux).

The problem of interaction between polarized radiation and the atmospheric medium has been studied. The atmospheric medium is considered as a semi-infinite medium with a specular reflecting boundary and subjected to an external incident flux. Because air molecules and soot particles have size parameter x ≪ 1, the scattering lies in the Rayleigh scattering regime and the optical properties of the particles considered can be determined by Mie theory in the limit of Rayleigh scattering. The polarized-radiation transfer equation has been solved and the numerical results for the reflectivity, radiant energy, and net flux of the medium for different degrees of polarization have been obtained. The calculations take into account the dependence on the wavelength of the incident radiation. Some of our calculated results are in very good agreement with published data.