Image:Rayleigh sunlight scattering.png

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[edit] Description

The blue color of the sky is caused by Rayleigh scattering of sunlight by the gases in the Earth's atmosphere. The above image shows the degree to which Rayleigh scattering scatters blue light more intensely than red light.

The scattering curve shown is calculated for sunlight passing vertically through the atmosphere and is based on Bucholtz, Anthony (1995). "Rayleigh-scattering calculations for the terrestrial atmosphere". Applied Optics 34 (15). Other details, such as scattering from dust and absorption of some light by greenhouse gases are not shown.

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[edit] Copyright

This image was created by Robert A. Rohde and is licensed under the GFDL.

Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts.