Terrestrial Radiative Transfer : Modeling, Computation, and Data Analysis

The remote sensing of earth from space is a nonlinear problem of estimating physical parameters from measurements. From an analytical point of view, it is a case of radiative transfer in inhomogeneous plane-parallel and spherical media. This book provides a modern treatment of both direct and inverse problems applicable to the remote sensing of earth from space or from the air. Starting from a physical description of the process, the authors develop innovative mathematical models, fundamental mathematics for the analysis of these models, and methods for obtaining computational solutions. Also featured are the results of recent research using this approach. For example, invariant imbedding techniques, associative memory artificial neural networks, and the automatic evaluation of derivatives have been used to solve inverse problems. This book covers uniform parallel illumination, internal sources, and incident spotlight beams, making it indispensable for researchers working to reduce the atmospheric distortion of remotely sensed terrestrial images. In this book we share our work with those who are faced with the challenging problem of studying the earth's atmosphere and the interactions between the atmosphere and the earth's surface. While there are some excellent books on this topic written from the physical point of view, those discussing the modeling and computational aspects are few and far between. Our book is intended to bridge this gap so that students as well as investigators will be able to understand and apply practical ways of determining solutions. Radiative transfer theory, on which this book is based, is elegant, and great minds have contributed to its richness. Instead of duplicating the clas­ sical references, we have taken a different approach: We have developed the in­ variant imbedding approach, both analytically and computationally, because of its attractiveness for producing numerical solutions. Having witnessed the transition to the computer age, we know that a new attitude to mathemati­ cal formulation is required. The one that we endorse is a model stated in the form of a Cauchy problem: a system of ordinary differential equations with a complete set of initial conditions. We chose this approach because it is well suited to implementation on digital computers. The remote sensing of earth from space is a nonlinear problem of estimating physical parameters from measurements. From an analytical point of view, it is a case of radiative transfer in inhomogeneous plane-parallel and spherical media. This book provides a modern treatment of both direct and inverse problems applicable to the remote sensing of earth from space or from the air. Starting from a description of the physical process, the authors develop innovative mathematical models, fundamental mathematics for the analysis of these models, and methods for obtaining computational solutions. Also featured are the results of recent research using this approach. For example, invariant imbedding techniques, associative memory artificial neural networks, and the automatic evaluation of derivatives have been used to solve inverse problems. This book covers uniform parallel illumination, internal sources, and incident spotlight beams, making it indispensable not only for those working to reduce the atmospheric distortion of remotely sensed terrestrial images but also for researchers in fields as diverse as medical lasers, neutron transport in nuclear reactor theory, and the determination of temperature changes resulting from the greenhouse effect Content: Front Matter....Pages ii-xxi Basic Concepts....Pages 1-18 Inhomogeneous Plane-Parallel Atmospheres....Pages 19-71 Inverse Problems....Pages 73-98 Anisotropic Scattering....Pages 99-118 Finite Orders of Scattering....Pages 119-133 Scattering Matrix....Pages 135-154 Atmospheric Correction....Pages 155-177 Topographic Effects in Terrestrial Remote Sensing....Pages 179-186 Searchlight Problem....Pages 187-198 Transfer of Radiation with Spherical Symmetry....Pages 199-226 Bibliography....Pages 227-233 Back Matter....Pages 235-279 Basic Concepts Inhomogeneous Plane-Parallel Atomospheres Inverse Problems Anisotropic Scattering Finite Orders of Scattering Scattering Matrix Atmospheric Correction Terrestrial Remote Sensing Searchlight Problem Transfer of Radiation with Spherical Symmetry Bibliography Appendix A: The Physical Problem of Radiative Transfer Appendix B: Derivation and Validation of Imbedding Equations Appendix C: Greenhouse Effect Appendix D: Identification of an Atmospheric Medium.