INVERSE MULTIPLE-SCATTERING PROBLEMS .3. INADEQUACY OF CERTAIN LIMB DARKENING AND PHASE CURVES FOR RETRIEVING ATMOSPHERIC INFORMATION AND LIMITATIONS OF APPROXIMATE SCATTERING MODELS

Three complementary inverse multiple scattering problems relating to a uniquely defined atmospheric and scattering model are considered. The questions of the appropriateness, for data inversion purposes, of intensities observed in diffuse reflection under a variety of experimental conditions, as well as the uniqueness of the inverse solution are investigated. It is shown that light curves presenting monotonous variations, such as limb darkening curves, and phase-curves for a planetary disk center, are unsuited for inferring by inversion atmospheric and scattering parameters. Such curves can be accurately reproduced by simpler models which, although physically valid, have no relationship to the actual model. © 1979.