Forward Monte Carlo computations of fully polarized microwave radiation in non-isotropic media

A completely forward Monte Carlo radiative transfer code has been developed with biasing techniques to efficiently solve the polarized radiative transfer equation for the full Stokes vector. The code has been adapted to accommodate plane parallel/3-D vertically/horizontally inhomogeneous scattering atmospheres in Cartesian geometries. Particular attention has been paid in stochastically treating the propagation, the emission and the scattering through anisotropic media particularly suited for clouds containing perfectly or partially oriented particles. Our modelling is very appealing because all its biasing techniques do not introduce unphysical Stokes vector. Numerical results and comparisons with benchmark tests are presented for verification.     

Discrete ordinate and Monte Carlo simulations for polarized radiative transfer in a coupled system consisting of two media with different refractive indices

We present an algorithm for polarized radiative transfer in a vertically stratified system consisting of two plane-parallel media with different refractive indices. It is based on the discrete ordinate method and includes multiple elastic scattering, thermal radiation, Fresnel reflection and transmission, incident parallel-beam or isotropic radiation at the top of the upper medium and bidirectional reflection at the bottom of the lower medium. Comparisons with results from Monte Carlo simulations show that the discrete-ordinate code provides accurate results for all four elements of the Stokes vector (I, Q, U, and V) at a speed that is orders of magnitude faster.     

Effect of reflecting modes on combined heat transfer within an anisotropic scattering slab

Under various interface reflecting modes, different transient thermal responses will occur in the media. Combined radiative-conductive heat transfer is investigated within a participating, anisotropic scattering gray planar slab. The two interfaces of the slab are considered to be diffuse and semitransparent. Using the ray tracing method, an anisotropic scattering radiative transfer model for diffuse reflection at boundaries is set up, and with the help of direct radiative transfer coefficients, corresponding radiative transfer coefficients (RTCs) are deduced. RTCs are used to calculate the radiative source term in energy equation. Transient energy equation is solved by the full implicit control-volume method under the external radiative-convective boundary conditions. The influences of two reflecting modes including both specular reflection and diffuse reflection on transient temperature fields and steady heat flux are examined. According to numerical results obtained in this paper, it is found that there exits great difference in thermal behavior between slabs with diffuse interfaces and that with specular interfaces for slabs with big refractive index.     

Discontinuous finite element method for radiative heat transfer in semitransparent graded index medium

To avoid the complicated and time-consuming computation of curved ray trajectories, a discontinuous finite element method based on discrete ordinate equation is extended to solve the radiative transfer problem in a multi-dimensional semitransparent graded index medium. Two cases of radiative heat transfer in two-dimensional rectangular gray semitransparent graded index medium enclosed by opaque boundary are examined to verify this discontinuous finite element method. Special layered and radial graded index distributions are considered. The predicted dimensionless net radiative heat fluxes and dimensionless temperature distributions are determined by the discontinuous finite element method and compared with the results obtained by the curved Monte Carlo method in references. The results show that the discontinuous finite element method has a good accuracy in solving the multi-dimensional radiative transfer problem in a semitransparent graded index medium.     

A Monte Carlo approach for the calculation of polarized light: application to an incident narrow beam

Monte Carlo approaches to compute multiple scattering of polarized light are examined. A Backward Monte Carlo (BMC) method is developed to solve the Stokes vector of the multiple scattered light for an inhomogeneous scattering medium with boundaries. A generalized form of the BMC method in vector notation is proposed. This method can determine the scattered light with sufficient accuracy in both intensity and polarization compared to the same calculation using the doubling-adding method for a plane parallel medium.For application to a narrow incident beam and an inhomogeneous medium, a modified BMC method is developed, borrowing a concept from the Forward Monte Carlo (FMC) method for the first scattering events. Furthermore, a modification of the total scattering matrix, i.e., the combination of the derived scattering matrix with its time inverse, is discussed. This BMC method can be used successfully for model calculations of lidar and other laser measurements of polarized light.     

Monte Carlo discrete curved ray-tracing method for radiative transfer in an absorbing-emitting semitransparent slab with variable spatial refractive index

A Monte Carlo discrete curved ray-tracing method is developed to analyze the radiative transfer in one-dimensional absorbing-emitting semitransparent slab with variable spatial refractive index, in which the Monte Carlo method is combined with the discrete curved ray-tracing method. A problem of radiative equilibrium with linear variable spatial refractive index is taken as an example to examine the accuracy of the proposed method. The temperature distributions and the dimensionless radiative heat flux are determined by the proposed method and compared with the data in references, which are obtained by other different methods. The results show that the Monte Carlo discrete curved ray-tracing method has a good accuracy in solving the radiative transfer in one-dimensional semitransparent slab with variable spatial refractive index.     

Coherent backscattering of light by complex random media of spherical scatterers: numerical solution

Novel Monte Carlo techniques are described for the computation of reflection coefficient matrices for multiple scattering of light in plane-parallel random media of spherical scatterers. The present multiple scattering theory is composed of coherent backscattering and radiative transfer. In the radiative transfer part, the Stokes parameters of light escaping from the medium are updated at each scattering process in predefined angles of emergence. The scattering directions at each process are randomized using probability densities for the polar and azimuthal scattering angles: the former angle is generated using the single-scattering phase function, whereafter the latter follows from Kepler's equation. For spherical scatterers in the Rayleigh regime, randomization proceeds semi-analytically whereas, beyond that regime, cubic spline presentation of the scattering matrix is used for numerical computations. In the coherent backscattering part, the reciprocity of electromagnetic waves in the backscattering direction allows the renormalization of the reversely propagating waves, whereafter the scattering characteristics are computed in other directions. High orders of scattering (~10 000) can be treated because of the peculiar polarization characteristics of the reverse wave: after a number of scatterings, the polarization state of the reverse wave becomes independent of that of the incident wave, that is, it becomes fully dictated by the scatterings at the end of the reverse path. The coherent backscattering part depends on the single-scattering albedo in a non-monotonous way, the most pronounced signatures showing up for absorbing scatterers. The numerical results compare favourably to the literature results for nonabsorbing spherical scatterers both in and beyond the Rayleigh regime.     

Radiative intensity solution and thermal emission analysis of a semitransparent medium layer with a sinusoidal refractive index

The radiative intensity in a sinusoidal refractive index semitransparent medium layer is solved by the curved ray-tracing method in combination with the pseudo-source adding method. One boundary of the medium layer is an opaque diffuse substrate wall. The other boundary is a semitransparent specular or diffuse surface, from which the medium thermal emission emerges. With considering a linear temperature distribution, the radiative intensity formulae are, respectively, deduced under the two boundary conditions. On the basis of the radiative intensity solutions, the directional and hemispherical emission of the medium layer with a specular surface as well as the hemispherical emission of that with a diffuse surface are calculated. The influences of the optical thickness, sinusoidal refractive index distribution and linear temperature distribution on the thermal emission are investigated. The results show that the effects of refractive index and temperature distribution are significant and are different under the two reflecting modes of the surface.     

基于微面斜率法的粗糙表面半透明介质层光谱散射特性分析

对具有一维高斯分布粗糙表面的半透明介质层光谱散射,基于微面斜率法建立了考虑遮蔽效应的粗糙表面光谱辐射传递概率模型,采用蒙特卡罗法模拟光谱辐射能束在粗糙表面、半透明介质层介质与镜反射基底之间的多次反射、折射和吸收等传递过程。通过数值模拟,分析了介质层表面粗糙度、光谱光学厚度、折射率和基底反射率对介质层双向反射分布函数(BRDF)的影响。结果表明,表面粗糙程度不同时,反射峰值随入射角度呈现不同的变化趋势;表面粗糙度增加或折射率增大都将导致漫反射份额增大;介质层光谱光学厚度和基底反射率主要影响BRDF的数值大小,而对BRDF的分布形态影响很小。     

A Monte Carlo ray tracing study of polarized light propagation in liquid foams

A Monte Carlo ray tracing scheme is used to investigate the propagation of an incident collimated beam of polarized light in liquid foams. Cellular structures like foam are expected to change the polarization characteristics due to multiple scattering events, where such changes can be used to monitor foam dynamics. A statistical model utilizing some of the recent developments in foam physics is coupled with a vector Monte Carlo scheme to compute the depolarization ratios via Stokes-Mueller formalism. For the simulations, the incident Stokes vector corresponding to horizontal linear polarization and right circular polarization are considered. It is observed that bubble size and the polydispersity parameter have a significant effect on the depolarization ratios. This is partially owing to the number of total internal reflection events in the Plateau borders. The results are discussed in terms of applicability of polarized light as a diagnostic tool for monitoring foams.     

Backward Monte Carlo simulation for apparent directional emissivity of non-isothermal semitransparent slab

A backward Monte Carlo method based on radiation distribution factor is extended to compute the apparent directional emissivity of one-dimensional absorbing-emitting-scattering semitransparent slab with specular semitransparent surface and opaque diffuse substrate. A non-isothermal semitransparent slab is taken as an example to examine the efficiency of backward Monte Carlo method. The apparent directional emissivity of the semitransparent slab is determined by backward Monte Carlo simulation and compared with that determined by forward Monte Carlo simulation. The results show that the backward Monte Carlo method is very efficient in solving the apparent directional emissivity of the semitransparent slab. The backward Monte Carlo method converges more quickly than the forward Monte Carlo method.     

Thermal emission and volumetric absorption of a graded index semitransparent medium layer

Both thermal emission and volumetric absorption characteristics of a graded index semitransparent medium layer are investigated numerically. The semitransparent and specular emerging surface of the medium layer is parallel to an opaque and diffuse substrate wall. Monochromatic spectrum or gray medium is considered in the analysis. A pseudo-source adding method is combined with a ray-splitting and -tracing technique to solve the radiative transfer in the medium. As examples, constant and linear refractive index distributions are examined for an isothermal layer and the medium layer with a linear temperature distribution. Directional and hemispherical thermal emissions from the emerging surface as well as the volumetric absorption to the diffuse and parallel incidence of radiation are investigated, respectively. The results show that the refractive index distribution has significant influences on thermal emission and volumetric absorption of a semitransparent medium layer. The optical thickness, temperature distribution and the reflectivity of substrate wall react in combination with the refractive index distribution.     

DRESOR法对瞬态辐射传递问题的研究

用基于蒙特卡洛法(Monte Carlo Method,MCM)的DRESOR法(Distributions of Ratios of Energy Scattered by the medium Or Reflected by the boundary surface)求解入射辐射经过介质散射、壁面反射传递后辐射强度随时间变化的瞬态辐射传递方程(Transient RadiativeTransfer Equation,TRTE)问题。通过在系统内计算一单位瞬态入射辐射对介质的DRESOR数分布,就能计算任意时间内入射辐射在系统内时间响应特性,这样有效提高数值方法处理瞬态辐射问题的通用性。并且能够获得高方向分辨率的辐射强度随时间变化的结果,这是目前大多数数值处理方法比较难做到的,显示出了DRESOR法处理瞬态入射辐射问题的能力．     

多维梯度折射率介质内辐射传递的扩散近似

推导多维梯度折射率介质内稳态辐射传递的扩散近似方程.使用有限元法对扩散近似进行离散和求解,利用两个二维半透明介质的稳态辐射传递问题验证该扩散近似的精度及适用性.算例考虑介质为均匀折射率及梯度折射率两种情况.利用扩散近似分别求解辐射平衡时的边界热流、介质内温度场分布,并与辐射传递方程的求解结果进行对比分析.结果表明:介质折射率变化、散射特性、光学厚度及散射反照率均直接影响扩散近似的精度;在光学厚及强散射条件下,该扩散近似可以作为一种快速算法应用于梯度折射率介质稳态辐射传递的求解.     

Anisotropic emission characteristics of semitransparent spherical particle with spherically asymmetric temperature distribution

The Monte Carlo ray-tracing method (MCRT) based on the concept of radiation distribution factor is extended to study the anisotropic emission characteristics of semitransparent spherical particle with spherically asymmetric temperature distribution. The dimensionless apparent spectral radiative intensity of particle emission is calculated by the radiation distribution factor. The effects of the related parameters on the dimensionless apparent spectral radiative intensity are analyzed and discussed. The results show that the anisotropy of particle emission increases with the spherically asymmetry of particle temperature, and the refractive index and the particle optical thickness strongly affect the anisotropic emission characteristics of semitransparent spherical particle with spherically asymmetric temperature distribution.     

Polarization imaging of multiply-scattered radiation based on integral-vector Monte Carlo method

A new integral-vector Monte Carlo method (IVMCM) is developed to analyze the transfer of polarized radiation in 3D multiple scattering particle-laden media. The method is based on a “successive order of scattering series” expression of the integral formulation of the vector radiative transfer equation (VRTE) for application of efficient statistical tools to improve convergence of Monte Carlo calculations of integrals. After validation against reference results in plane-parallel layer backscattering configurations, the model is applied to a cubic container filled with uniformly distributed monodispersed particles and irradiated by a monochromatic narrow collimated beam. 2D lateral images of effective Mueller matrix elements are calculated in the case of spherical and fractal aggregate particles. Detailed analysis of multiple scattering regimes, which are very similar for unpolarized radiation transfer, allows identifying the sensitivity of polarization imaging to size and morphology.     

A vector radiative transfer model for coupled atmosphere and ocean systems with a rough interface

We report on an exact vector (polarized) radiative transfer (VRT) model for coupled atmosphere and ocean systems. This VRT model is based on the successive order of scattering (SOS) method, which virtually takes all the multiple scattering processes into account, including atmospheric scattering, oceanic scattering, reflection and transmission through the rough ocean surface. The isotropic Cox–Munk wave model is used to derive the ref and transmission matrices for the rough ocean surface. Shadowing effects are included by the shadowing function. We validated the SOS results by comparing them with those calculated by two independent codes based on the doubling/adding and Monte Carlo methods. Two error analyses related to the ocean color remote sensing are performed in the coupled atmosphere and ocean systems. One is the scalar error caused by ignoring the polarization in the whole system. The other is the error introduced by ignoring the polarization of the light transmitted through the ocean interface. Both errors are significant for the cases studied. This code fits for the next generation of ocean color study because it converges fast for absorbing medium as, for instance, ocean.     

任意入射辐射条件下介质特性对瞬态辐射传递的影响

用基于Monte Carlo法的DRESOR法在平行平板系统内具有吸收、无发射介质中研究不同波形入射、壁面反射、介质散射率、光学厚度、各向异性散射等条件对瞬态辐射传递的影响.任意连续波形入射辐射是目前大多数数值方法很难处理的瞬态辐射问题,而DRESOR法通过在系统内计算一单位入射辐射能对介质的DRESOR数分布,就能计算任意连续波形入射辐射条件下高方向分辨率的瞬态辐射强度结果.DRESOR法和Monte Carlo法计算的结果进行了比较验证,两者吻合较好,证明了DRESOR法处理瞬态入射辐射问题的正确性和有效性.     

Effects of polarization on radiation absorption in one-dimensional semitransparent slab exposed to collimated irradiation

The internal distribution of radiative absorption in one-dimensional semitransparent slab exposed to collimated irradiation is determined by the ray tracing method, and the detailed computation formulae for the distribution of radiative absorption are deduced. It is found that the ray will be polarized by specular reflection of slab boundaries even if the collimated irradiation is unpolarized, and the extent of polarization increases with the internal reflection times. The effects of polarization on the radiative absorption are analyzed and the radiative absorption distributions are compared with those obtained from the case in which the effects of polarization are omitted. The results show that the large differences between reflectances of perpendicular and parallel polarized components are the main causes resulting in errors of radiative absorption distribution. The polarization of incident beam has significant influences on the radiative absorption. Even for an unpolarized beam irradiated near Brewster's angle, omitting the effects of polarization will result in large errors, and the errors increase with the refractive index.     

Fresnel boundary and interface conditions for polarized radiative transfer in a multilayer medium

In many applications of the theory of radiative transfer, it is important to consider the changes in the index of refraction that occur when the physical domain being studied consists of material regions with distinct optical properties. When polarization effects are taken into account, the radiation field is described by a vector of four components known as the Stokes vector. At an interface between two different material regions, the reflected and transmitted Stokes vectors are related to the incident Stokes vector by means of reflection and transmission matrices, which are derived from the Fresnel formulas for the amplitude coefficients of reflection and transmission. Having seen that many works on polarized radiative transfer that allow for changes in the index of refraction exhibit discrepancies in their expressions for the transmission matrix, we present in this work a careful derivation of the relations between the reflected and transmitted Stokes vectors and the Stokes vector incident on an interface. We obtain a general form of a transmission factor that is required to ensure conservation of energy and we show that most of the discrepancies encountered in existing works are associated with the use of improper forms of this factor. In addition, we derive explicit and compact expressions for the Fresnel boundary and interface conditions appropriate to the study of polarized radiative transfer in a multilayer medium.