Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Salvador Bara, Xabier Perez-Couto, Fabio Falchi, Miroslav Kocifaj, Eduard Masana
Summary: Estimating the horizontal irradiance from measurements of the zenith night-sky radiance is important for various studies in observatory site assessment and environmental sciences. This study generalizes the concept of the Posch ratio and provides analytical expressions and numerical evaluations for its three basic nighttime components.
MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Ladislav Komar, Stefan Wallner, Miroslav Kocifaj
Summary: Aerosol particles have a significant impact on night sky brightness, especially non-spherical particles. This paper uses the T-matrix formalism to calculate light scattering on ellipsoidal particles, and the results show that particle shape has a significant effect on skyglow, particularly near the zenith. Therefore, the importance of considering non-spherical aerosols and atmospheric parameters in theoretical modelling of skyglow and analysis of light monitoring networks is emphasized.
MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhiqin Zhu, Yaqin Luo, Hongyan Wei, Yong Li, Guanqiu Qi, Neal Mazur, Yuanyuan Li, Penglong Li
Summary: A novel atmospheric light estimation based dehazing algorithm is proposed in this paper to obtain high visual-quality remote sensing images. The method first trains a linear scene depth model to generate depth maps and then applies an atmospheric scattering model to remove haze based on estimated atmospheric light and transmission maps.The proposed method shows excellent performance in terms of consistency with human perception.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Fabio Falchi, Felipe Ramos, Salvador Bara, Pedro Sanhueza, Marcelo Jaque Arancibia, Guillermo Damke, Pierantonio Cinzano
Summary: Light pollution is a significant factor that affects the productivity and lifespan of astronomical observatories. By analyzing satellite radiance data using the Garstang-Cinzano model, we compared 28 observatory sites with large telescopes and calculated five indicators of light pollution. The results revealed a wide variation in the values of these indicators, indicating that the majority of large observatories have exceeded the critical increase in radiance. The findings and methods presented can guide efforts to reduce the impact of light pollution on observatories and protect the nighttime environment.
MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Annika K. Jagerbrand, Kamiel Spoelstra
Summary: Anthropogenic light is pervasive in human-populated areas and is increasing globally. It has significant consequences for species and ecosystems, with highly variable and complex effects. Many species are negatively affected and exhibit specific responses. Observable effects such as attraction and deterrence are complicated by factors such as behavior type and specific locations. We discuss potential solutions and new technologies to mitigate the ecological effects of anthropogenic light. Implementing frugal lighting practices and turning off lights may be necessary to eliminate these effects, but a simple solution remains elusive.
Review
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Richard F. Green, Christian B. Luginbuhl, Richard J. Wainscoat, Dan Duriscoe
Summary: Human activity is increasingly causing negative impact of artificial skyglow on observatory sites. Understanding of source spectral energy distribution is necessary to assess the actual impact. All-sky cameras provide data to model and measure artificial light contribution. Solar activity affects natural skyglow significantly and must be considered in determining trends. Regulations play a crucial role in protecting observatory sites, and the reflected sunlight from satellites in low-earth orbit is a growing threat.
ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS REVIEW
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Yanlei Du, Xiaofeng Yang, Jian Yang, Shurun Tan, Wentao Ma, Ziwei Li, Xiaofeng Li
Summary: The study investigates the effects of sea surface temperature on ocean radar backscattering under neutral and nonneutral atmospheric conditions. It finds that different bands have different SST effects under neutral conditions, while the air-sea interaction governs the impact of SST on ocean scattering and wind velocity variations under nonneutral conditions.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON GEOSCIENCE AND REMOTE SENSING
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kuijun Wu, Jianjun Guo, Zihao Zhang, Huiliang Zhang, Juan Li, Faquan Li, Weiwei He
Summary: A new spectral calibration method is proposed in this paper to improve the measurement accuracy of SO2 cameras, especially for the long-distance detection of optically thick plumes.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
M. Kocifaj, F. Kundracik, J. Barentine
Summary: Atmospheric turbidity is a key factor affecting the propagation of artificial light into the environment during cloudless nights. In this study, a method for retrieving aerosol optical depth (AOD) and asymmetry parameter (g) from clear-sky radiometry is developed. The method reduces the number of unknowns in the processing of night sky radiances and provides an efficient tool for skyglow simulators. The capability of the method is demonstrated in a field experiment under cloudless conditions.
MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Miroslav Kocifaj, Salvador Bara
Summary: This study demonstrates that the anthropogenic night-sky brightness due to city lights can be used to estimate the aerosol optical depth of the atmosphere, providing a new possibility for night-time monitoring.
MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
(2021)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Antonia M. Varela Perez
Summary: This article discusses the adverse impacts of light pollution on astronomical observations and proposes potential mitigation strategies to preserve the night sky.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Stefan Wallner, Miroslav Kocifaj
Summary: Measurements of artificial light at night are challenging due to the unstable atmospheric condition, making trend analyses and inter-comparison difficult. Variations in atmospheric parameters can significantly impact sky brightness caused by light pollution. This study investigates six parameters and find that all except aerosol scale height play important roles in forming skyglow and environmental impact. Improvement in atmospheric conditions can positively influence the level of environmental impact caused by artificial light at night.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Optics
A. Fazel-Najafabadi, B. Auguie
Summary: This article investigates the optical properties of nanoparticle aggregates and introduces a method for simulating optical responses. It benchmarks different aggregation geometries and evaluates their accuracy.
JOURNAL OF QUANTITATIVE SPECTROSCOPY & RADIATIVE TRANSFER
(2022)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Johannes Puschnig, Magnus Naeslund, Axel Schwope, Stefan Wallner
Summary: This study quantified the aging effects of sky quality meters for the first time, revealing a linear degradation trend in measurement systems (SQM + housing window) at different locations, with the slope being related to solar irradiance.
MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
(2021)
Article
Optics
Markus Selmke, James A. Lock
Summary: This passage discusses the phenomenology of the light pattern formed under shallow water, showing the differences in the shape of the caustic point under shallow illumination and water depth conditions compared to larger depths and/or near-vertical illumination. The shape of the caustic point affects the light path, resulting in an asymmetric, multicomponent light pattern.
Editorial Material
Optics
Martin Aube, Miroslav Kocifaj
JOURNAL OF QUANTITATIVE SPECTROSCOPY & RADIATIVE TRANSFER
(2021)
Article
Optics
Peter Markos, Miroslav Kocifaj, Frantisek Kundracik, Gorden Videen
Summary: Charged particles with freely moving electrons on their surface can influence their optical properties, including resonances. Modeling shows that resonances are related to excitation of anti-symmetric surface plasmons, explaining absorption suppression as particle size decreases and differences in light-scattering efficiencies. These properties are important for remote sensing studies of charged particles in interstellar medium and dust storms.
JOURNAL OF QUANTITATIVE SPECTROSCOPY & RADIATIVE TRANSFER
(2021)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
M. Kocifaj, F. Kundracik, D. M. Duriscoe, S. P. Balm, S. Wallner
Summary: This study developed an experimental and theoretical method for obtaining the spectral power distribution (SPD) of light escaping from artificial sources, which is crucial in predicting and simulating the optical signatures of the night sky. The method was demonstrated in field measurements on the light dome of Chicago. Additionally, the theoretical method required analyzing the relative impact of local light sources on the radiance of the light dome.
MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Miroslav Kocifaj, Ladislav Komar
Summary: The importance of sky luminance distribution and the necessity of proper use of the ISO/CIE model in different territories are emphasized in this article. By linking luminance distributions with atmospheric properties, a new approach presented here can provide more accurate and systematic characterization of sky states.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hector Lamphar, Miroslav Kocifaj, Jorge Limon-Romero, Jorge Paredes-Tavares, Safei Diba Chakameh, Michal Mego, Natalia Jorgelina Prado, Yolanda Angelica Baez-Lopez, Emiliano Raul Diez
Summary: Light pollution is a global environmental issue that may be associated with an increase in breast cancer incidence.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Miroslav Kocifaj, Salvador Bara
Summary: This study develops a satellite remote sensing method for nighttime aerosols in the lower atmosphere, quantitatively analyzing scattered light and extracting information about aerosol properties to estimate the aerosol particle size number distribution function. The results highlight the importance of enhancing angular detection capabilities for future night Earth observation missions.
ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
M. Kocifaj, F. Kundracik, S. Bara, J. Barentine, S. Wallner
Summary: Continuous monitoring of the atmospheric scattering phase function P(theta) $P(\theta )$ is challenging, but a theoretical and experimental technique has been developed to retrieve this function from radiometry of a laser beam scattered in the lower nocturnal atmosphere. The field experiment conducted in a night environment demonstrates the method's capability to determine P(theta) $P(\theta )$ in real-world settings. This study shows that extracting the scattering phase function from radiance data is achievable across a wide range of angles, allowing for analytical extrapolation to approximate P(theta) $P(\theta )$ across all scattering angles.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Salvador Bara, Xabier Perez-Couto, Fabio Falchi, Miroslav Kocifaj, Eduard Masana
Summary: Estimating the horizontal irradiance from measurements of the zenith night-sky radiance is important for various studies in observatory site assessment and environmental sciences. This study generalizes the concept of the Posch ratio and provides analytical expressions and numerical evaluations for its three basic nighttime components.
MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Ladislav Komar, Stefan Wallner, Miroslav Kocifaj
Summary: Aerosol particles have a significant impact on night sky brightness, especially non-spherical particles. This paper uses the T-matrix formalism to calculate light scattering on ellipsoidal particles, and the results show that particle shape has a significant effect on skyglow, particularly near the zenith. Therefore, the importance of considering non-spherical aerosols and atmospheric parameters in theoretical modelling of skyglow and analysis of light monitoring networks is emphasized.
MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
M. Kocifaj, S. Bara, E. Falchi
Summary: This letter presents a model for calculating the all-sky brightness generated by artificial light sources. The model takes into account the atmospheric conditions, observer distance, and angular and spectral characteristics of the light source to calculate the anthropogenic all-sky radiance at any location on Earth.
MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Christopher C. M. Kyba, Martin Aube, Salvador Bara, Andrea Bertolo, Constantinos A. Bouroussis, Stefano Cavazzani, Brian R. Espey, Fabio Falchi, Geza Gyuk, Andreas Jechow, Miroslav Kocifaj, Zoltan Kollath, Hector Lamphar, Noam Levin, Shengjie Liu, Steven D. Miller, Sergio Ortolani, Chun Shing Jason Pun, Salvador Jose Ribas, Thomas Ruhtz, Alejandro Sanchez de Miguel, Mathias Schneider, Ranjay Man Shrestha, Alexandre Simoneau, Chu Wing So, Tobias Storch, Kai Pong Tong, Milagros Tunon, Diane Turnshek, Ken Walczak, Jun Wang, Zhuosen Wang, Jianglong Zhang
Summary: The spatial and angular emission patterns of artificial and natural light emitted, scattered, and reflected from the Earth at night are more complex than those for scattered and reflected solar radiation during the day. This paper emphasizes the importance of the angular distribution of emitted light for remote sensing measurements and suggests the use of images at different angles to obtain information about Earth's atmosphere and night sky brightness.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-ATMOSPHERES
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Christian A. Gueymard, Miroslav Kocifaj
Summary: This article introduces a clear-sky spectral radiance model for describing the distribution of diffuse radiance over the sky hemisphere. The model is based on radiative transfer theory and effectively describes the variation of radiance at different wavelengths using phase functions and polynomial coefficients. The model is universal and applicable to both ideal atmospheric situations and dynamic situations.
RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Studies
H. Lamphar, S. Wallner, M. Kocifaj
Summary: The global shift towards LED lighting systems can save energy and minimize negative impacts on the night sky, human health, wildlife, and the environment. However, increasing the color temperature of LEDs significantly raises night sky brightness, potentially leading to adverse effects on the environment and health. Thorough adjustments are necessary for LED conversions to prevent potential issues.
ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING B-URBAN ANALYTICS AND CITY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Miroslav Kocifaj, Salvador Bara
Summary: This study demonstrates that the anthropogenic night-sky brightness due to city lights can be used to estimate the aerosol optical depth of the atmosphere, providing a new possibility for night-time monitoring.
MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
(2021)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
M. Kocifaj, F. Kundracik, J. C. Barentine, S. Bara
Summary: The presence of artificial satellites and space debris around Earth poses significant constraints on space operations and ground-based astronomy. The deployment of satellite 'mega-constellations' in the 2020s is a growing concern due to the potential increase in night sky brightness caused by sunlight reflected off these objects. This new skyglow effect may have already exceeded the critical limit set by the International Astronomical Union in 1979 for light pollution levels at astronomical observatories.
MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
(2021)