Detection of Molecular Scattering Field by Polarization Analysis of Sky Background During the Transitive Twilight and Temperature Measurements near the Stratopause

Abstract

The simplest version of the method of detection of single molecular scattering basing on the polarization measurements of the twilight sky background by all-sky cameras is considered. The method can be used during the transitive twilight (solar zenith angles 94-98 degrees), when effective single scattering takes place in upper stratosphere and lower mesosphere. The application of the method to the multi-year measurements in the vicinity of Moscow and Apatity allows determination of temperature of these atmospheric layers and estimation of contribution and properties of multiple scattering during the transitive twilight period.