Search

In recent decades, considerable research has been carried out both in measuring and modelling the brightness of the sky. Modelling is highly complex, as the properties of light emission (spatial and spectral distribution) are generally unknown, and the physical state of the atmosphere cannot be determined independently. The existing radiation transfer models lack the focus on light pollution and model only a narrow spectral range or do not consider realistic atmospheric circumstances. In this paper, we introduce a new Monte Carlo simulation for modelling light pollution, including the optical density of the atmosphere and multiple photon scattering, then we attempt to combine the available information of satellite and ground-based measurements to check the extent to which it is possible to verify our model. It is demonstrated that we need all the separate pieces of information to interpret the observations adequately.

In recent decades, considerable research has been carried out both in measuring and modelling the brightness of the sky. Modelling is highly complex, as the properties of light emission (spatial and spectral distribution) are generally unknown, and the physical state of the atmosphere cannot be determined independently. The existing radiation transfer models lack the focus on light pollution and model only a narrow spectral range or do not consider realistic atmospheric circumstances. In this paper, we introduce a new Monte Carlo simulation for modelling light pollution, including the optical density of the atmosphere and multiple photon scattering, then we attempt to combine the available information of satellite and ground-based measurements to check the extent to which it is possible to verify our model. It is demonstrated that we need all the separate pieces of information to interpret the observations adequately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]