Atmospheric Aerosol

:: Section 9

Visibility Effect of Atmospheric Aerosol

Visibility is a subjective quantity that refers to the clarity with which distant objects can be seen. The atmospheric aerosol degrades the visibility as a result of scattering and absorption of light by aerosol particles. The following picture taken in Cairo, Egypt shows a great degradation of the visibility due to the high concentration of aerosol in the atmosphere.

The degradation of visibility caused by atmospheric aerosol is due to the extinction of light when the light passing through the atmosphere. Visual range is another term practically used to characterize the visibility. Details on light extinction and visual range are provided on the following two pages.