CAOSP abstracts, Volume: 26, No.: 1, year: 1996
- Author(s): KOCIFAJ, M.
- Journal: Contributions of the Astronomical Observatory Skalnate Pleso,
vol. 26,, no. 1, p. 23-30.
- Date: 08/1996
- Title: Optical air mass and refraction in a Rayleigh atmosphere
- Keyword(s): OPTICAL AIR MASS, ANGLE OF REFRACTION, RAYLEIGH ATMOSPHERE
- Pages: 23 -- 30
Abstract:
Analytical expressions for the spectral optical air mass m and the angle of
refraction omega in a molecular Rayleigh atmosphere were found in dependence
on the air density profile. The correlation between m and omega is discussed.
The theoretical expressions obtained in this paper show that both the optical
air mass and the refraction angle close to the horizon depend critically on
the vertical profile of the air density and may vary over a wide range
(approx 35-43 arcmin for m and approx 31-44 arcmin for omega at the Earth's
surface). This fact implies that the formulae independent of any meteorological
parameter cannot express the optical air mass or the refraction angle with a
sufficient accuracy. Therefore, comparing such formulae on the base of their
accuracy has no sense.
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