Numerical computations of rough sea surface emissivity using the interaction probability density

The Cox-Munk-Plass interaction probability density is used for computing emissivity from a two-dimensional anisotropic model of a rough sea surface. The infrared wavelengths of interest are the 3-5-mu m and 8-14-mu m bands, and computations are performed in the co-wind and crosswind directions for receiver polar angles varying from the zenith to the horizon. Comparisons between co-wind and crosswind results are made as a function of windspeed, wavelength, and the polar angle of the receiver, with an emphasis on results at the horizon. A method for obtaining upper and lower bounds on the surface emissivity is also given which, in the context of reflection, provides a measure of the effects of multiple reflections. (C) 1997 Optical Society of America.