A model for the bidirectional polarized reflectance of snow

A model for calculating snow bidirectional reflectance at any wavelength in the solar spectrum is presented. The method is based on the radiative tran sfer theory by using the adding/doubling method. The model includes polariz ation information which is quite new for snow and can help to interpret rel evant remote-sensing data. The snow grain shape effects on the reflectance are studied and shown to be very important in the near and middle infrared. The snow grains are assume d to be either spherical or hexagonal ice particles; the single scattering properties are computed by the Mie and the ray-tracing theories, respective ly. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.