DISORT

DISORT stands for Discrete Ordinates Radiative Transfer Model. It is a widely used atmospheric radiative transfer model designed to solve the radiative transfer equation for monochromatic or spectrally averaged radiation in a plane-parallel, vertically inhomogeneous atmosphere. Developed by W. E. Ambrose and P. R. Spyak at the U.S. Army's Atmospheric Sciences Laboratory, DISORT is known for its robustness and accuracy in simulating the transfer of solar and thermal radiation. The model discretizes the angular distribution of radiation into a finite number of streams, hence the "discrete ordinates" method. This approach allows it to handle complex scattering properties of atmospheric constituents such as aerosols and clouds. DISORT is capable of simulating radiative transfer in various scenarios, including clear sky and cloudy conditions, and can account for diffuse and specular reflections from the underlying surface. Its applications are diverse, ranging from remote sensing data validation and algorithm development to climate modeling and atmospheric physics research. The model's output includes quantities like outgoing radiance, actinic fluxes, and heating rates, which are crucial for understanding atmospheric processes and their impact on Earth's climate. It is often implemented in Fortran and has been ported to various platforms, making it accessible to a broad scientific community.