Scribd
Upload
19 views8 pages

Absorption: I I +di Da DS

This document discusses radiation absorption in a medium. It defines key terms like absorption coefficient, opacity, optical depth, and source function. The main points are: 1) Radiation intensity decreases exponentially with distance through a medium according to the absorption coefficient. 2) Optical depth is defined as the integral of the absorption coefficient over distance, and describes how opaque a medium is. 3) The radiative transfer equation can be written using optical depth instead of physical distance, with the source function describing emission.

Uploaded by

Mendoza Menoy
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
19 views8 pages

Absorption: I I +di Da DS

This document discusses radiation absorption in a medium. It defines key terms like absorption coefficient, opacity, optical depth, and source function. The main points are: 1) Radiation intensity decreases exponentially with distance through a medium according to the absorption coefficient. 2) Optical depth is defined as the integral of the absorption coefficient over distance, and describes how opaque a medium is. 3) The radiative transfer equation can be written using optical depth instead of physical distance, with the source function describing emission.

Uploaded by

Mendoza Menoy
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 8

Absorption

If the radiation travels through a medium which absorbs (or


scatters) radiation, the energy in the beam will be reduced:

In In+dIn

dA
dS

Number density of absorbers (particles per unit volume) = n


Each absorber has cross-sectional area = sn (units cm2)

If beam travels through ds, total area of absorbers is:


number of absorbers ¥ cross - section = ndAds ¥ s n

ASTR 3730: Fall 2003


†
Fraction of radiation absorbed = fraction of area blocked:
dIn ndAdss n
=- = -ns n ds
In dA
dIn = -ns n In ds ≡ -a n In ds

absorption coefficient (units cm-1)


†
Can also write this in terms of mass:
a n ≡ rkn
kn is called the mass absorption coefficient or the opacity.

Opacity has units of cm2 g-1 (i.e. the cross section of a gram
of gas). †

ASTR 3730: Fall 2003


Example: Thomson scattering

A free electron has a cross section to radiation given by the


Thomson value:
s nT = 6.7 ¥10-25 cm2
…independent of frequency. The opacity is therefore:
n
† k n = s n = N As n = 0.4 cm2 g -1
r

If the gas is pure hydrogen


(protons and electrons only)
†
(note: really should distinguish between absorption and
scattering, but don’t need to worry about that here…)

ASTR 3730: Fall 2003


Equation of radiative transfer for pure absorption. Rearrange
previous equation:
dIn
= -a n In
ds
Different from emission because depends on how much
radiation we already have.
Integrate to †
find how radiation changes along path:
s s
dIn
Ú In
= - Ú a n ( s¢)ds¢
s0 s0
s
s
[ln In ] s = - Ú a n ( s¢)ds¢ s=s0 s
0
s0
s
- Ú an ( s¢ )ds¢
In (s) = In (s0 )e s0
ASTR 3730: Fall 2003
e.g. if the absorption coefficient is a constant (example, a
uniform density gas of ionized hydrogen):

In (Ds) = I0e-an Ds

Specific intensity after Radiation exponentially


distance Ds Initial absorbed with distance
† intensity

Radiative transfer equation with both absorption and emission:


dIn
= -a n In + jn
ds

absorption emission
†
ASTR 3730: Fall 2003
Optical depth
Look again at general solution for pure absorption:
s
- Ú an ( s¢ )ds¢
In (s) = In (s0 )e s0

Imagine radiation traveling into a cloud of absorbing gas,


exponential defines a scale over which radiation is attenuated.
s=s0
When:† s
Úa n ( s¢)ds¢ = 1
s0

…intensity will be reduced to


1/e of its original value.
†

ASTR 3730: Fall 2003


Define optical depth t as:
s
t n (s) = Úa n (s¢)ds¢
s0

or equivalently dt n = a n ds

A medium is optically thick at a frequency


n if the optical depth for a typical path through
the medium † satisfies:
tn ≥ 1
Medium is said to be optically thin if instead:
tn < 1
† an optically thin medium is one which a
Interpretation:
typical photon of frequency n can pass through without
being absorbed. ASTR 3730: Fall 2003
†
Can rewrite the radiative transfer equation using the optical
depth as a measure of `distance’ rather than s:
dIn
= -a n In + jn
ds
dIn jn divide by the absorption
= -In +
a n ds an coefficient
dIn
= -In + Sn
dt n

…where Sn = jn / an is the source function. An alternative and


sometimes more convenient way to write the equation.
†

ASTR 3730: Fall 2003

You might also like