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Transfer of Ultraviolet Light in the Atmosphere and Ocean: A Tutorial Review

  • Conference paper
Solar Ultraviolet Radiation

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASII,volume 52))

Abstract

Penetration of UV radiation through the atmosphere depends on atmospheric ozone and particulate matter in the form of clouds and aerosols. Ozone absorbs strongly in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum and weakly in the visible. Particulate clouds interact significantly with solar radiation throughout the UV and visible region. In the ultraviolet spectral range scattering by atmospheric molecules is also important because of the inverse fourth power dependence of molecular (Rayleigh) scattering on wavelength. The total amount of molecules in the atmosphere above a given location varies relatively little with time, whereas the ozone amount can vary significantly from day to day, and cloud cover varies on much shorter time scales. Thus, the amount of UV and visible radiation available at any level in the atmosphere and at the surface is to a large extent controlled by variations in column ozone amount and cloud conditions. The transfer of radiation through aquatic media is quite similar to radiation transfer in the atmosphere. The water molecules give rise to absorption, and Rayleigh (molecular) scattering arises from density fluctuations. In addition, particulate matter in the ocean, due to dissolved organic and inorganic matter, scatter and absorb radiation in much the same way aerosol and cloud ‘particles’ do in the atmosphere.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geophysical Institute and Departement of Physics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, 99775-7320, USA

    Knut Stamnes

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  1. Knut Stamnes
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Atmospheric Physics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, P.O. Box 149, 540 06, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Christos S. Zerefos  & Alkiviadis F. Bais  & 

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© 1997 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Stamnes, K. (1997). Transfer of Ultraviolet Light in the Atmosphere and Ocean: A Tutorial Review. In: Zerefos, C.S., Bais, A.F. (eds) Solar Ultraviolet Radiation. NATO ASI Series, vol 52. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-03375-3_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-03375-3_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-08300-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-03375-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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