Eugene E. Clothiaux

This self-contained, interdisciplinary textbook examines and illustrates how small particles absorb and scatter light, treating both in equal measure. This is because any discussion of the optical behavior of small particles is inseparable from a full understanding of that of the parent material-bulk matter — to divorce one concept from the other is to render any study on scattering theory seriously incomplete. This second edition has been completely corrected, revised, and updated.

Meeting the need for teaching material suitable for students of atmospheric science and courses on atmospheric radiation, this textbook covers the fundamentals of emission, absorption, and scattering of electromagnetic radiation from ultraviolet to infrared and beyond. Much of the contents applies to planetary atmosphere, with graded discussions providing a thorough treatment of subjects, including single scattering by particles at different levels of complexity. The discussion of the simple multiple scattering theory introduces concepts in more advanced theories, such that the more complicated two-stream theory allows readers to progress beyond the pile-of-plates theory. The authors are physicists teaching at the largest meteorology department in the US at Penn State. The problems given in the text come from students, colleagues, and correspondents, and the figures designed especially for this book facilitate comprehension. Ideal for advanced undergraduate and graduate students of atmospheric science. * Free solutions manual available for lecturers at www.wiley-vch.de/supplements/