Vol. 11, issue 06, article # 21

Abstract:

Different ways of atmospheric haze particles contribution into the light absorption by droplet clouds are investigated using the model of a concentric layered water droplet. The presence of a thin moderately absorbing layer, with the volume of 0.1%, within a water droplet increases almost by an order of magnitude the efficiency of absorption by droplet clouds. The highest effect is achieved when the impurity is concentrated at the droplet center. As the layer moves from the center to the droplet surface its part in light absorption significantly decreases. Strongly oscillating dependence K_a(r) is found to be characteristic of the droplets with moderately absorbing surface layer. At some r values it can exceed the absorption by a similar droplet with the centered impurities. Estimations made for a polydisperse ensemble reveal an effect of nonadditive light absorption by atmospheric haze particles when contained in different parts of a cloud. Atmospheric haze particles, if concentrated at the droplet center as impurities, absorb visible light 1.5-3 times more efficiently, than the same amount of particles, though having the same geometric sizes and dielectric properties, but contained in the space among droplets.