Umweltoptik

Umweltoptik, or environmental optics, is an interdisciplinary field that studies how environmental conditions influence the propagation, perception, and measurement of light. It examines the interaction of light with the atmosphere, surfaces, and particulates in urban and natural settings, including factors such as aerosols, humidity, fog, rain, dust, and light pollution, and how these factors alter color, contrast, and visibility for observers and instruments.

Key physical processes include scattering (Rayleigh and Mie), absorption by gases and aerosols, diffraction, and refraction in inhomogeneous media. These effects determine spectral transmission, sky color, haze, and visibility limits. Models such as radiative transfer and Beer-Lambert law are used to describe how light attenuates along a path and how background illumination changes with wavelength.

Methods and applications: Researchers employ ground-based instruments (spectrometers, sun photometers, visibility meters) and remote sensing tools (lidar, satellite data) to quantify optical properties of the atmosphere and environment. Applications cover atmospheric correction for remote sensing, weather forecasting, aviation and road safety, solar energy assessment, imaging in adverse weather, and urban lighting design to mitigate light pollution and ecological impact.

Umweltoptik thus links physics with environmental science and practical sensing, providing a framework for understanding how the environment shapes optical measurements and visual experience.