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Light Scattering Reviews, Volume 11 pp 3–65Cite as

The Discrete Ordinate Algorithm, DISORT for Radiative Transfer

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Abstract

The discrete ordinate method for the transfer of monochromatic unpolarized radiation in non-isothermal, vertically inhomogeneous media, as implemented in the computer code Discrete-Ordinate-Method Radiative Transfer, DISORT, is reviewed. Both the theoretical background and its algorithmic implementation are covered. Among others, described are the reduction of the order of the standard algebraic eigenvalue problem to increase efficiency in both the homogenous and particular solutions of the system of coupled ordinary differential equations, application of the scaling transformation to make the solution unconditionally stable for arbitrary large values of optical depth, application of the δ-M method to handle highly anisotropic scattering, the correction of intensities by the Nakajima-Tanaka method, and the implementation of a realistic bidirectional bottom boundary. Numerical considerations that make the implementation robust and efficient are also discussed. Examples of setting up DISORT runs are shown by using test cases with increasing complexity. Brief summaries of the versions released to date are provided, as well.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Z. Lin, S. Stamnes, L. Rokke, M. Zhou and H. Liu for their critical reading of and useful comments on an earlier version of the manuscript, and A. Kokhanovsky for inviting us to write this review and for his patience. IL acknowledges the assistance of K. Laszlo with typing in many of the equations.

Disclaimer

The contents of this paper are solely the opinions of the authors and do not constitute a statement of policy, decision, or position on behalf of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) or the U.S. Government.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Satellite Applications and Research, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 5825 University Research Court, College Park, MD, 20740, USA

    Istvan Laszlo

  2. Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, 07030, USA

    Knut Stamnes

  3. Climate and Radiation Laboratory, Code 613, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 8800 Greenbelt Road, Greenbelt, MD, 20771, USA

    Warren J. Wiscombe & Si-Chee Tsay

Authors
  1. Istvan Laszlo
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  2. Knut Stamnes
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  3. Warren J. Wiscombe
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  4. Si-Chee Tsay
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Istvan Laszlo .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. EUMETSAT, Darmstadt, Germany

    Alexander Kokhanovsky

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Laszlo, I., Stamnes, K., Wiscombe, W.J., Tsay, SC. (2016). The Discrete Ordinate Algorithm, DISORT for Radiative Transfer. In: Kokhanovsky, A. (eds) Light Scattering Reviews, Volume 11. Springer Praxis Books. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-49538-4_1

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