Optical Thickness

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Optical Thickness

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Specifically, in calculations of the transfer of radiant energy, the mass of a given absorbing or emitting material lying in a vertical column of unit cross-sectional area and extending between two specific levels. Also called optical depth. </dd>
If z1 and z2 are the lower and upper limits, respectively, of a layer in which the variation of a density p of some absorbing or emitting substance is given as a function of height z, then the quantity

Missing Image:img src="SP7_o_files/optthick.gif" is called the optical thickness of that

substance within that particular layer. [[/a>|/a> ]]

References

This article is based on NASA's Dictionary of Technical Terms for Aerospace Use