2004/12/22 by J. Fischera, Joerg Fischera, M. A. Dopita +1 · 2 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Atmospheric Ozone and Climate #Atmospheric aerosols and clouds #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1086/426185
published as Astrophys.J.619:340-356,2005 · 38 pages, 48 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ, Jan. 2005
arxiv created 2004/12/22 · openalex publication_date 2005/01/20 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
We analyze in detail the attenuation caused by an isothermal turbulent distant foreground dust screen. The attenuation curve is well determined by two parameters, the absolute-to-relative attenuation ratio R = A V / E ( B - V ) and the absolute attenuation A V . We show quantitatively how these two observable quantities depend on the statistical properties of the local density and the mean attenuation ⟨ A V ⟩ and how they vary with the thickness of the screen measured in units of the largest turbulent scale. The attenuation through a turbulent medium is characterized by higher transparency and a flatter attenuation curve in comparison with a homogeneous dust screen. In general, the effect of a turbulent medium on the attenuation increases with slice thickness. In the limit of thick slices, typically larger than the maximum turbulent scale, R asymptotically approaches a maximum value.