(Received: January 20, 2009; Accepted for publication: September 8, 2009)
We propose two methods to visualize aerosol distributions of ten ppb order concentration in the atmosphere. These methods are used with Infra-Red (IR) enhanced digital cameras. The original camera is remade by replacing an inner IR-cut filter with a long-pass filter of 760 nm. The RGB-color characters of the camera are unknown; therefore, we measured the RGB responses for aerosols. We defined plural means to emphasize contrasts of aerosol scattering, and using their combinations, we contrive two visualizing methods. We named them line-shade drawing and contour-map drawing. The functions are the following:
The line-shade drawing gives us several band images to indicate the same scattering intensity, and moreover, it gives continuous shade images between the band curves. By use of the drawing, we understand that the cloud is in aerosol mist, and often dilute mist flows out from the cloud. The flow-out mist does not synchronize with movements of the cloud. The density and shape change by about 5 seconds.
The contour-map drawing gives us dozens of curves to indicate the same scattering intensity. It is a method to make the differential image. Then, it can draw detailed air-flow around heat engines, which can not be described by using the line-shade drawing. We show exhaust-gas from an airplane and the atmosphere structure along the landform. The air-flow, turbulence and vortex are visualized.
These drawings can make clear detailed structures in the atmosphere.
Keywords: Aerosol, SPM, Atmosphere structure, Turbulence, Vortex