RESPONSE TO COMMENT ON RAYLEIGH-SCATTERING CALCULATIONS FOR THE TERRESTRIAL ATMOSPHERE

Rayleigh optical depths that were calculated by Bucholtz represent an improvement over previous calculations (from 1.4% to 20%) because an u pdated depolarization factor that varied with the wavelength was used. These optical depths were obtained by integrating standard atmospheri c model temperature and pressure profiles over height. This integratio n is a valid method for obtaining an estimate of the column density an d therefore the Rayleigh optical depth, given that small errors (less than 0.7%) will be introduced because of quadrature and inaccuracies i n any given model. (C) 1998 Optical Society of America.