Angular Distribution of Solar Radiation Reflected from Clouds as Determined from TIROS IV Radiometer Measurements

Abstract

The pattern of reflection of solar radiation from clouds as a function of angle is obtained by statistical analysis of observations from the TIROS IV visible radiation channel (0.55–0.75 μ). Readings from the water-vapor window channel (8ndash;12 μ) were used to select cases in which clouds fill the field of view of the sensor. The results show a generally anisotropic reflection pattern, which varies with solar zenith angle. The anisotropy is greatest for large values of solar zenith angle, the main feature in these cases being high intensity values of the radiation reflected at azimuths close to 180° from the sun, and at large zenith angles.