Comparison of iterative and Monte Carlo methods for calculation of the aureole about a point source in the Earth's atmosphere

Point sources in the atmosphere are surrounded by aureoles because of atmos pheric scattering. The properties of an aureole were calculated by use of a Monte Carlo approach and an iterative method for an isotropic source and a n axially symmetric emission source inside an infinite homogeneous atmosphe re. The influence of single-scattering albedo, optical depth between source and observer, and source intensity anisotropy were studied from both appro aches. For each situation, the limits and advantages of the Monte Carlo tec hnique and the iterative method are described. (C) 1999 Optical Society of America.