Direct Detection of Exoplanets with Optical Polarimetry (4)

 

Albedo and Clouds from Polarimetry

Seager et al. (2000) and Stam et al. (2004) show that maximum degree of polarization throughout the orbit for 3 atmospheric models

  1. • Solid: clear atmosphere with Rayleigh scattering due to small gas molecules

  2. • Dashed: Atmosphere with cloud particles

  3. • Dotted: Atmosphere with cloud and haze particles


As the thickness of clouds and hazes increases, more scattering events occur. With each successive scattering event, the electric field of the incident light is randomized and the light reaching the observer becomes progressively depolarized.


Buenzli & Schmid (2009) and Lucas et al. (2009) suggest that albedo and linear polarization are linear for low albedos, but so-called “multiple scattering” is important at high albedos.


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