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2604103 
Journal Article 
Polarization Models for Rayleigh Scattering Planetary Atmospheres 
Buenzli, E; Schmid, HM; Joos, F 
2009 
Yes 
Earth, Moon, and Planets
ISSN: 0167-9295
EISSN: 1573-0794 
105 
2-4 
153-157 
WOS:000268776300014 
We present Monte Carlo simulations for the polarization of light reflected from planetary atmospheres. We investigate dependencies of intensity and polarization on three main parameters: single scattering albedo, optical depth of a scattering layer, and albedo of a Lambert surface underneath. The main scattering process considered is Rayleigh scattering, but isotropic scattering and enhanced forward scattering on haze particles are also investigated. We discuss disk integrated results for all phase angles and radial profiles of the limb polarization at opposition. These results are useful to interpret available limb polarization measurements of solar system planets and to predict the polarization of extra-solar planets as a preparation for VLT/SPHERE. Most favorable for a detection are planets with an optically thick Rayleigh-scattering layer. The limb polarization of Uranus and Neptune is especially sensitive to the vertically stratified methane mixing ratio. From limb polarization measurements constraints on the polarization at large phase angles can be set. 
Polarimetry; Planets; Atmospheres