Abstract

At wavelengths between 9 and 11 micrometers, a unique relationship (within relatively narrow bounds) has been predicted¹ and verified experimentally² for water droplet distributions having, effectively, a large particle radius cut off of less than 16 micrometers. This appears to be applicable to (at least) radiation fogs and is conveniently within a major atmospheric propagation "window" wavelength region. At. shorter wavelengths there is generally no single number representing the ratio of extinction coefficient to liquid water content for fogs. In this study, involving another IR propagation window, a 3.4 micrometer (HeNe, 1/2 mW) laser has been used as a probe source to investigate a possible extinction - liquid content relationship in this shorter wavelength atmospheric window region.

© 1983 Optical Society of America