Abstract

We were able to transform the usual refraction equations for an observer within a spherically symmetric atmosphere into an Abel integral equation that has a unique inverse. It is now possible to extract accurate temperature profiles of the atmosphere below an observer over the marine boundary layer with use of simple edge-finding software on solar images at sunset. Several examples are presented demonstrating the efficiency of the method.

© 1997 Optical Society of America

Unique temperature profiles for the atmosphere below an observer from sunset images: erratum

William D. Bruton and George W. Kattawar
Appl. Opt. 37(12) 2271-2271 (1998)

Sunset science. I. The mock mirage

Andrew T. Young, George W. Kattawar, and Pekka Parviainen
Appl. Opt. 36(12) 2689-2700 (1997)

Novaya Zemlya effect and sunsets

Siebren Y. van der Werf, Günther P. Können, and Waldemar H. Lehn
Appl. Opt. 42(3) 367-378 (2003)

Sunset science. II. A useful diagram

Andrew T. Young and George W. Kattawar
Appl. Opt. 37(18) 3785-3792 (1998)

Comparison of modeled and observed astronomical refraction of the setting Sun

Russell D. Sampson, Edward P. Lozowski, and Arthur E. Peterson
Appl. Opt. 42(3) 342-353 (2003)