Scattering Problems in Physics - Part 2 — Lesson 10

This lesson covers the understanding of scattering models and techniques. It delves into the results obtained from solving equations related to scattering models. The lesson explains the concept of reflectivity of a layer of particles, isotropic scattering, and the impact of forward scattering. It also discusses the errors made when assuming isotropic scattering. The lesson further explores the effect of the total optical depth of the slab of particles and the transmittance. It introduces the discrete ordinates method and the spherical harmonic method for solving complex scattering problems. The lesson concludes with a discussion on the Monte Carlo method, which is becoming increasingly popular due to advancements in computer technology.

Video Highlights

00:57 - Discussion on different climate parameters and isotropic scattering,
07:19 - Explanation of the relationship between Albedo, back scattering, and optical depth,
11:37 - Introduction to the discrete ordinates method for dealing with a system of particles which are scattering isotropically,
29:50 - Explanation of the spherical harmonic method for solving problems involving scattering in powders, clouds, and aerosols,
43:11 - Discussion on the adding-doubling method for solving problems with optically thin layers,
48:13 - Introduction to the Monte Carlo method for solving complex scattering problems,

Key Takeaways

- Reflectivity of particles increases linearly initially for small values of single scaring Albedo.
- Isotropic scattering is uniform in all directions.
- Forward scattering results in less backward scattering, hence reducing the Albedo of a cloud of particles.
- The discrete ordinates method and the spherical harmonic method are traditional techniques used to solve complex scattering problems.
- The Monte Carlo method is becoming increasingly popular due to advancements in computer technology, as it can handle problems of any complexity.