All-sky polarization imaging

Nathan J. Pust; Joseph A. Shaw

doi:10.1117/12.736330

13 September 2007 All-sky polarization imaging

Nathan J. Pust, Joseph A. Shaw

Proceedings Volume 6682, Polarization Science and Remote Sensing III; 668204 (2007) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.736330
Event: Optical Engineering + Applications, 2007, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

We describe measurements of atmospheric polarization made with an all-sky imaging spectro-polarimeter in five 10- nm-wide bands from 450 to 700 nm. The instrument uses two liquid crystal variable retarders and a fixed linear polarizer to measure the Stokes vector in each pixel of a 1 Mpixel image that covers the entire sky dome. Degree of polarization and angle of polarization images are shown for clear, partly cloudy, and smoke-filled conditions. Aerosols and clouds generally reduce the degree of polarization observed throughout the image, even in clear portions of partly cloudy skies. Comparisons of measurements and calculations show that the single-scattering algorithm in the early polarized Modtran (Mod-P) radiative transfer code provide adequate prediction of sky polarization at red and near-infrared wavelengths for low aerosol optical depths (~≤ 0.2), but significantly under-predict the degree of polarization for short wavelengths, especially with higher optical depths and in the vicinity of clouds.

Citation Download Citation

Nathan J. Pust and Joseph A. Shaw "All-sky polarization imaging", Proc. SPIE 6682, Polarization Science and Remote Sensing III, 668204 (13 September 2007); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.736330

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available