PROMSAR: A backward Monte Carlo spherical RTM for the analysis of DOAS remote sensing measurements

Abstract

A correct interpretation of diffuse solar radiation measurements made by Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) remote sensors require the use of radiative transfer models of the atmosphere. The simplest models consider radiation scattering in the atmosphere as a single scattering process. More realistic atmospheric models are those which consider multiple scattering and their application is useful and essential for the analysis of zenith and off-axis measurements regarding the lowest layers of the atmosphere, such as the boundary layer. These are characterized by the highest values of air density and quantities of particles and aerosols acting as scattering nuclei. A new atmospheric model, PROcessing of Multi-Scattered Atmospheric Radiation (PROMSAR), which includes multiple Ray leigh and Mie scattering, has recently been developed at ISAC-CNR. It is based on a backward Monte Carlo technique which is very suitable for studying the various interactions taking place in a complex and non-homogeneous system like the terrestrial atmosphere. PROMSAR code calculates the mean path of the radiation within each layer in which the atmosphere is sub-divided taking into account the large variety of processes that solar radiation undergoes during propagation through the atmosphere. This quantity is then employed to work out the Air Mass Factor (AMF) of several trace gases, to simulate in zenith and off-axis configurations their slant column amounts and to calculate the weighting functions from which informations about the gas vertical distribution is obtained using inversion methods