G - Physics – 01 – N
Patent
G - Physics
01
N
73/51
G01N 21/47 (2006.01) G01W 1/00 (2006.01)
Patent
CA 1175682
-55- ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method and an optical sensing apparatus (1) are disclosed for measuring the polarization properties of light being scattered in the sky to obtain an accurate indication of visibility. The intensities (I1 and I2) of two linearly polarized components of the daylight are measured, so that a polarization ratio (P) can be calculated to provide a visibility index by which visual quality and visual range can be determined. The present method and apparatus may be extended to determine plume blight by comparing the polarization properties of light scattered by the plume with the polarization properties of the background sky, whereby theoretical visibility models may be validated. In an alternate embodiment, another apparatus (30) may be utilized with a sensing system (46) that employs polarization modulation techniques, so that the polarization properties of the entire sky can be measured in the ultra- violet and infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Accordingly, indications of both gas phase and particulate pollutant distributions in the atmosphere can be simultane- ously determined depending upon the magnitude of the polarization ratio (P) in regions of atmospheric pollutant absorption.
398112
Ridout & Maybee Llp
Rockwell International Corporation
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