Abstract
The spectral reflectance of the surface in an urbanized area was estimated through airborne measurements of the spectral upward flux of visible radiation in the range 475–750 nm. Atmospheric effects due to Rayleigh and Mie scattering were accounted for by using optical parameters to solve the radiative transfer equation. The values for these parameters were derived from measurements of the particle number concentration and size distribution.
The results clearly show a difference in reflectance between urban and suburban areas. The difference in spectral reflectance decreases from the suburban to the urban area.
In a metropolitan area, the surface reflectance generally decreases with urban development, and the global upward flux of visible radiation has a similar tendency. This trend supports the idea of a decrease in reflectance due to the modification of the surface structure.
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Takamura, T. Spectral reflectance in an urban area a case study for Tokyo. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 59, 67–82 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00120687
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00120687