ON THE TRANSFER OF SOLAR RADIATION IN AEROSOL ATMOSPHERES.

Abstract

A radiation scheme has been developed by which the absorption of water vapor in the near-infrared regions of the solar spectrum can be inserted into the transfer program for inhomogeneous aerosol atmospheres. Local-albedo calculations for the entire solar spectrum reveal that a surface albedo of about 0. 3 to 0. 4 plays a significant role on the increase or reduction of a globally averaged albedo caused by the increase of aerosol concentrations in the atmospheric boundary layer. In a hazy atmosphere cooling takes place near the surface with warming aloft. The net heating effect for the earth-atmosphere system, however, depends strongly upon the surface characteristics.