International Polarized Radiative Transfer

This test case includes a standard atmosphere with Rayleigh scattering and molecular absorption (as case B2). Aerosol with a specified optical thickness profile is added. The aerosol optical properties are the same as in case A4 (spheroidal particles)

Setup:

• model atmosphere with 30 layers, scattering optical thicknesses provided in tau_rayleigh_350.dat, absorption optical thickness in tau_molabs_350.dat
• wavelength: 350 nm
• Rayleigh depolarization factor: 0.03
• surface albedo: 0

• aerosol optical thickness profile: tau_aerosol.dat
• aerosol optical properties: netCDF,ascii
  The variable “phase” includes the phase matrix, as a function of the scattering angle (variable “theta”). The 4×4 scattering phase matrix for spheroidal droplets has six non-zero elements, which are stored in the following order: $ P = \begin{pmatrix} P1 & P2 & 0 & 0 \\ P2 & P5 & 0 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & P3 & P4 \\ 0 & 0 & -P4 & P6 \end{pmatrix} $
  The corresponding Legendre polynomials (“pmom”) and the single scattering albedo (“ssa”) are also included in the file.

• output altitudes: 0 km, 1 km, 30 km
• sun position (sza=30°, saa=0°)
• viewing zenith angles:
  • at 0 km : vza: 0° - 85°, 5° increment
  • at 1 km: vza: 0° - 180°, 5° increment (without 90°)
  • at 30 km: vza: 95° - 180°, 5° increment
• viewing azimuth angle vaa: 0° - 180°, 5° increment

Output format:

• The output should be provided in the same format as for case A1 (Rayleigh scattering).

Difference plots between the models IPOL, 3DMCPOL, SPARTA (previously named TROPOS), SHDOM, PSTAR and MYSTIC for the full radiation field:
3DMCPOL
IPOL
SPARTA
SHDOM
PSTAR

Data of all models (MYSTIC and 3DMCPOL include also standard deviation):
MYSTIC
3DMCPOL
IPOL
SPARTA
SHDOM
PSTAR