Finite element method for the two-dimensional atmospheric radiative transfer

The finite element method is applied to the solution of the two-dimensional atmospheric radiative transfer. The analysis is mainly focussed on the derivation of the cell or element equation. The Galerkin method and several hybrid methods using the integral and finite difference form of the radiative transfer equation are employed to obtain the cell equation. The assembled system of equations relating the radiances at the lower and upper boundary of the domain is solved by a direct method.