Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Absorption, Scattering and Extinction of Light in Ice and Snow

Abstract

THE extinction of visible radiation in a diffusing and absorbing substance such as ice or water is composed of absorption and scattering. An approximation connects the absorption, scattering and extinction coefficients (respectively given by ϰ, r and μ) by the relation Equation (1) can only be true for single scattering, in which process singly scattered light is effectively scattered out of the field of interest so that the effect is cumulative with absorption processes in contributing to the overall extinction. For media involving multiple scattering, light scattered out of the direction of interest can equally be returned to this field by subsequent scatterings. This implies that in general the extinction coefficient is restricted by the relation

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Dunkle, R. V., and Gier, J. T., Calif. Univ. Inst. of Eng. Res. Cont. DA-11-190-Eng-3 (1953).

  2. Weller, G., and Schwerdtfeger, P., Polar Met. WMO Tech. Note 87 (1967).

  3. Weller, G. E., Nature, 221, 355 (1969).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

SCHWERDTFEGER, P. Absorption, Scattering and Extinction of Light in Ice and Snow. Nature 222, 378–379 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1038/222378a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/222378a0

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing