Approximation of radiative transfer for surface spectral features
This work addresses the need for efficient approximations in remote sensing for Earth and Planetary science, but it is incremental as it builds on existing linear mixture models with limited applicability.
The paper tackles the problem of approximating radiative transfer for surface spectral features by proposing a simple non-linear form that includes linear mixture, demonstrating its ability to approximate grain size and intimate mixture dependencies, as well as Martian mineral aerosols, though it fails for more complex Earth aerosols.
Remote sensing hyperspectral and more generally spectral instruments are common tools to decipher surface features in Earth and Planetary science. While linear mixture is the most common approximation for compounds detection (mineral, water, ice, etc...), the transfer of light in surface and atmospheric medium are highly non-linear. The exact simulation of non-linearities can be estimated at very high numerical cost. Here I propose a very simple non-linear form (that includes the regular linear area mixture) of radiative transfer to approximate surface spectral feature. I demonstrate that this analytical form is able to approximate the grain size and intimate mixture dependence of surface features. In addition, the same analytical form can approximate the effect of Martian mineral aerosols. Unfortunately, Earth aerosols are more complex (water droplet, water ice, soot,...) and are not expected to follow the same trend.