A new method for exact solution of transfer equations in finite media

In this paper we develop a new exact method combined with finite Laplace transform and theory of linear singular operators to obtain a solution of transport equation in finite plane-parallel steady-state scattering atmosphere both for angular distribution of radiation from the bounding faces of the atmosphere and for intensity of radiation at any depth of the atmosphere. The emergent intensity of radiation from the bounding faces are determined from simultaneous linear integral equations of the emergent intensity of radiation in terms ofX andY equations of Chandrasekhar. The intensity of radiation at any optical depth for a positive and negative direction parameter is derived by inversion of the Laplace transform in terms of intergrals of the emergent intensity of radiation. A new expression of theX andY equation is also derived for easy numerical computation. This is a new and exact method applicable to all problems in finite plane parallel steady scattering atmosphere.     

The solution of a time-dependent problem in radiative transfer

The time-dependent equation of radiative transfer for a finite, plane-parallel, non-radiating, and isotropically scattering atmosphere of arbitrary stratification is solved by using the integral equation method. The medium is taken to be inhomogeneous. The Laplace transform is used in the time domain. It is seen that the obtained solutions are reducible to the corresponding ones for steady-state problems by simply changing the Laplace transform parameter to zero.     

Exact solution of a basic equation in finite atmosphere by the method of Laplace transform and linear singular operators

A finite atmosphere having distribution of intensity at both surfaces with definite form of scattering function and source function is considered here. The basic integro-differential equation for the intensity distribution at any optical depth is subjected to the finite Laplace transform to have linear integral equations for the surface quantities under interest. These linear integral equations are transformed into linear singular integral equations by use of the Plemelj's formulae. The solution of these linear singular integral equations are obtained in terms of theX-Y equations of Chandrasekhar by use of the theory of linear singular operators which is applied in Das (1978a).     

Photon path-length distribution function (II)

The determination of the photon path-length distribution function (PLDF) in a semi-infinite plane-parallel homogeneous atmosphere is discussed while the atmosphere scatters radiation according to the 2 × 2 Rayleigh-Cabannes phase matrix. The Piessens-Huysmans method of numerically inverting the Laplace transform which proved to be successful for the non-polarized radiation works in this special case as well. To employ this method we had to define the complex H-matrix and to find a fast method to determine its numerical values. For determining the average path-lengths and the dispersion we set up a system of integral equations the solution of which gave us the H-matrix and its first two derivatives with respect to the albedo of single scattering.The influence of different parameters characterizing the interaction of the polarized radiation with the atmosphere on the PLDF and the average path-length is studied in detail and a sample of average path-lengths is given in Table I.     

Exact solution of the problem of diffuse reflection and transmission by the method of Laplace transform and linear singular operators

The basic integro-differential equation is subjected to a one-sided finite Laplace transform to obtain linear integral equations of angular distribution of bounding faces. These linear integral equations have been transformed into linear singular integral equations which have been solved exactly to get the emergent distributions from the bounding faces by the theory of linear singular operators. Some solutions of linear singular integral equations have also been derived for future use in radiative transfer problems.     

Exact solution of a key equation in a finite stellar atmosphere by the method of Laplace transform and linear singular operators

The key equation which commonly appears for radiative transfer in a finite stellar atmosphere having ground reflection according to Lambert's law is considered in this paper. The exact solution of this equation is obtained for surface quantities in terms of theX-Y equations of Chandrasekhar by the method of Laplace transform and linear singular operators. This exact method is widely applicable for obtaining the solution for surface quantities in a finite atmosphere.     

Exact solution of the problem of diffuse reflection and transmission in Rayleigh scattering by use of the Laplace transform and the theory of linear singular operators

We have considered six scalar equations which are obtained from the vector transport equation for radiative transfer to the problem of diffuse reflection and transmission in finite plane-parallel Rayleigh scattering atmosphere. By use of the Laplace transform and the theory of linear singular operators these equations have been solved exactly to get the angular distribution of the intensity diffusely reflected from the surface and diffusely transmitted below the surface.     

Albedo-shifting method: Source function in a plane atmosphere

A classical problem in the theory of radiative transfer is considered: calculating the radiation field within a plane scattering atmosphere. The recently proposed albedo-shifting method is used to calculate the source function both in a semi-infinite atmosphere and in an atmophere of finite optical depth, illuminated by parallel rays. The method enables one to “suppress” scattering and obtain iterative solutions of the integral equation for the source function in only a few direct lambda iterations, even when the average number of photon scatterings in the atmosphere is very large. Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 42, No. 4, pp. 485–500, October–December, 1999.     

Exact solution of the transport equation for imperfect rayleigh scattering in a semi-infinite atmosphere

By performing the one-sided Laplace transform on the matrix integro-differential equation for a semi-infinite plane parallel imperfect Rayleigh scattering atmosphere we derive an integral equation for the emergent intensity matrix. Application of the Wiener-Hopf technique to this integral equation will give the emergent intensity matrix in terms of singularH-matrix and an unknown matrix. The unknown matrix has been determined considering the boundary condition at infinity to be identical with the asymptotic solution for the intensity matrix.     

Exact solution of the problem of diffuse reflection for a combination of Rayleigh and isotropic scattering

We consider the basic vector equation of transfer for radiation in a semi-infinite atmosphere for diffuse reflection which scatters radiation in accordance with the phase matrix obtained from a combination of Rayleight and isotropic scattering. This equation will give an integral equation for emergent intensity while subjected to the Laplace transform. The integral equation will give rise to the emergent intensity matrix on application of the Wiener-Hopf technique. This is an exact method.     

Time-dependent scattering and transmission function in an anisotropic two-layered atmosphere

In this paper we consider the time-dependent diffuse reflection and transmission problems for a homogeneous anisotropically-scattering atmosphere of finite optical depth and solve it by the principle of invariance. Also we consider the time-dependent diffuse reflection and transmission of parallel rays by a slab consisting of two anisotropic homogeneous layers, whose scattering and transmission properties are known. It is shown how to express the time-dependent reflected and transmitted intensities in terms of their components. In a manner similar to that given by Tsujita (1968), we assumed that the upward-directed intensities of radiation at the boundary of the two layers are expressed by the sum of products of some auxiliary functions depending on only one argument. Then, after some analytical manipulations, three groups of systems of simultaneous integral equations governing the auxiliary functions are obtained.     

Solution of Riemann–Hilbert problems for determination of new decoupled expressions of Chandrasekhar’s <Emphasis Type="Italic">X</Emphasis>- and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Y</Emphasis>-functions for slab geometry in radiative transfer

In radiative transfer, the intensities of radiation from the bounding faces of a scattering atmosphere of finite optical thickness can be expressed in terms of Chandrasekhar’s X- and Y-functions. The nonlinear nonhomogeneous coupled integral equations which the X- and Y-functions satisfy in the real plane are meromorphically extended to the complex plane to frame linear nonhomogeneous coupled singular integral equations. These singular integral equations are then transformed into nonhomogeneous Riemann–Hilbert problems using Plemelj’s formulae. Solutions of those Riemann–Hilbert problems are obtained using the theory of linear singular integral equations. New forms of linear nonhomogeneous decoupled expressions are derived for X- and Y-functions in the complex plane and real plane. Solutions of these two expressions are obtained in terms of one known N-function and two new unknown functions N ₁- and N ₂- in the complex plane for both nonconservative and conservative cases. The N ₁- and N ₂-functions are expressed in terms of the known N-function using the theory of contour integration. The unknown constants are derived from the solutions of Fredholm integral equations of the second kind uniquely using the new linear decoupled constraints. The expressions for the H-function for a semi-infinite atmosphere are obtained as a limiting case.     

Exact solution of the equation of radiative transfer for semi-infinite plane-parallel isotropic scattering atmosphere with scattering albedo ω0 ≤ 1 by a method based on Laplace transform and Wiener-Hopf technique

By performing the one-sided Laplace transform on the scalar integro-differential equation for a semi-infinite plane-parallel isotropic scattering atmosphere with a scattering albedo ₀ 1, an integral equation for the emergent intensity has been derived. Application of the Wiener-Hopf technique to this integral equation will give the emergent intensity. The intensity at any optical depth for a positive scattering angle is also derived by inversion. The intensity at any optical depth for a negative scattering angle is also derived in terms of Cauchy's principal value using Plemelj's formulae.     

Average photon path-length in isotropically scattering finite atmospheres

The determination of the average path-length of photons in a finite isotropically scattering plane-parallel homogeneous atmosphere is discussed. To solve this problem we have used the kernel approximation method which easily allows us to find the derivatives of the intensity with respect to optical depth, optical thickness and albedo of single scattering.In order to check the results we have used another approach by exploiting the set of integrodifferential equations of Chandrasekhar for theX- andY-functions. This approach allows us to find the average path length only at the boundaries of the atmosphere but on the other hand it gives also the dispersion of the path-length distribution function, thus generating the input parameters for determining the approximate path-length distribution function. It occurred that the set so obtained is stable and the results are highly accurate.As a by-product we obtain the first two derivatives of theX- andY-functions with respect to the albedo of single scattering and optical thickness, and the mixed derivative.     

Exact solution of the transport equation in finite media with a plane and uniform point source and flux normally incident at the faces from outside

In this paper we apply the Wiener-Hopf technique combined with the method of the Laplace transform, to derive an exact solution of the transport equation for neutron diffusion in an isotropically scattering plane-parallel medium of finite thickness in which are situated a plane source at the middle and a uniformly distributed point source, there being flux of beams normally incident from outside on the two extreme parallel surfaces of the medium.     

Exact solution of a simple time-dependent integro-differential equation by the method of Laplace transform and the theory of linear singular operators

The simplest form of the equation of transfer for a time dependent radiation field in finite atmosphere is considered. This equation of transfer is an integro-differential equation, the solution of this equation is based on the theory of separation of variables, the Laplace transform and the theory of linear singular operators. The emergent intensities from the bounding faces of the finite atmosphere are determined in terms ofX-Y equations of Chandrasekhar.     

The solutions of certain generalized anomalous diffusion equations of fractional order

In this paper we have proposed certain generalizations of anomalous diffusion equations for fractional order. These diffusion equations are solved by the method of Laplace transform with respect to the time variable and Fourier transform with respect to the space variable. The solutions of some known diffusion equations are also shown to be derived here.     

Radiative Transfer in Inhomogeneous Atmospheres. I

This series of papers is devoted to multiple scattering of light in plane parallel, inhomogeneous atmospheres. The approach proposed here is based on Ambartsumyan's method of adding layers. The main purpose is to show that one can avoid difficulties with solving various boundary value problems in the theory of radiative transfer, including some standard problems, by reducing them to initial value problems. In this paper the simplest one dimensional problem of diffuse reflection and transmission of radiation in inhomogeneous atmospheres with finite optical thicknesses is considered as an example. This approach essentially involves first determining the reflection and transmission coefficients of the atmosphere, which, as is known, are a solution of the Cauchy problem for a system of nonlinear differential equations. In particular, it is shown that this system can be replaced with a system of linear equations by introducing auxiliary functions P and S. After the reflectivity and transmissivity of the atmosphere are determined, the radiation field in it is found directly without solving any new equations. We note that this approach can be used to obtain the required intensities simultaneously for a family of atmospheres with different optical thicknesses. Two special cases of the functional dependence of the scattering coefficient on the optical thickness, for which the solutions of the corresponding equations can be expressed in terms of elementary functions, are examined in detail. Some numerical calculations are presented and interpreted physically to illustrate specific features of radiative transport in inhomogeneous atmospheres.     

Theory of optical identification of submicron particles in high atmosphere

Interaction between planetary atmospheres and small bodies is connected with radiation effects. Submicron particles in the Earth's upper atmosphere strongly influence the scattering of the shortwave solar radiation. Based on the mutual connection between the environmental and radiation field structures it is possible to determine the physical characteristics of the particle set in this environment. Generaly, the diffused radiation field in the real atmosphere is given by a sum of elementary and multiple scattering components. Solving the inverse problems always leads to complicated integral equations. A major part of the diffused radiation field in the upper atmosphere is due to the first order scattering. The paper presents a new method for determination of the effective complex refractive index and size distribution of the particles based on the radiance data. The solution of integral equations is to be found in the space of quadratically integrable and continuous functionsf L ₂.     

Average photon path-length of radiation emerging from finite atmospheres

The determination of the average path-length of photons emerging from a finite planeparallel atmosphere with molecular scattering is discussed. We examine the effects of polarisation on the average path-length of the emergent radiation by comparing the results with those obtained for the atmosphere where the scattering obeys the scalar Rayleigh function. Only the axial radiation field is considered for both cases.To solve this problem we have used the integro-differential equations of Chandrasekhar for the diffuse scattering and transmission functions (or matrices). By differentiation of these equations with respect to the albedo of single scattering we obtain new equations the solution of which gives us the derivatives of the intensities of the emergent radiation at the boundaries.As in the case of scalar transfer the principles of invariance by Chandrasekhar may be used to find an adding scheme to obtain both the scattering and transmission matrices and their derivatives with respect to the albedo of single scattering. These derivatives are crucial in determining the average path length.The numerical experiments have shown that the impact of the polarisation on the average pathlength of the emergent radiation is the largest in the atmospheres with optical thickness less than, or equal to, three, reaching 6.9% in the reflected radiation.