Miroslav Kocifaj

Evaluating Potential Spectral Impacts of Various Artificial Lights on Melatonin Suppression, Photosynthesis, and Star Visibility

Artificial light at night can be harmful to the environment, and interferes with fauna and flora, star visibility, and human health. To estimate the relative impact of a lighting device, its radiant power, angular photometry and detailed spectral power distribution have to be considered. In this paper we focus on the spectral power distribution. While specific spectral characteristics can be considered harmful during the night, they can be considered advantageous during the day. As an example, while blue-rich Metal Halide lamps can be problematic for human health, star visibility and vegetation photosynthesis during the night, they can be highly appropriate during the day for plant growth and light therapy. In this paper we propose three new indices to characterize lamp spectra. These indices have been designed to allow a quick estimation of the potential impact of a lamp spectrum on melatonin suppression, photosynthesis, and star visibility. We used these new indices to compare various lighting technologies objectively. We also considered the transformation of such indices according to the propagation of light into the atmosphere as a function of distance to the observer. Among other results, we found that low pressure sodium, phosphor-converted amber light emitting diodes (LED) and LED 2700 K lamps filtered with the new Ledtech’s Equilib filter showed a lower or equivalent potential impact on melatonin suppression and star visibility in comparison to high pressure sodium lamps. Low pressure sodium, LED 5000 K-filtered and LED 2700 K-filtered lamps had a lower impact on photosynthesis than did high pressure sodium lamps. Finally, we propose these indices as new standards for the lighting industry to be used in characterizing their lighting technologies. We hope that their use will favor the design of new environmentally and health-friendly lighting technologies.

Light-pollution model for cloudy and cloudless night skies with ground-based light sources

The scalable theoretical model of light pollution for ground sources is presented. The model is successfully employed for simulation of angular behavior of the spectral and integral sky radiance and/or luminance during nighttime. There is no restriction on the number of ground-based light sources or on the spatial distribution of these sources in the vicinity of the measuring point (i.e., both distances and azimuth angles of the light sources are configurable). The model is applicable for real finite-dimensional surface sources with defined spectral and angular radiating properties contrary to frequently used point-source approximations. The influence of the atmosphere on the transmitted radiation is formulated in terms of aerosol and molecular optical properties. Altitude and spectral reflectance of a cloud layer are the main factors introduced for simulation of cloudy and/or overcast conditions. The derived equations are translated into numerically fast code, and it is possible to repeat the entire set of calculations in real time. The parametric character of the model enables its efficient usage by illuminating engineers and/or astronomers in the study of various light-pollution situations. Some examples of numerical runs in the form of graphical results are presented.

Motion of nonspherical dust particle under the action of electromagnetic radiation

Abstract Equation of motion of realistically shaped particle in the circumstellar dust shell is derived under the action of electromagnetic radiation including the gravity of central body. The effect is considered to the accuracy v → /c , where v → is particles velocity in a given inertial frame of reference and c is the speed of light. Equation of motion is expressed in terms of particles optical properties, standardly used in optics for stationary particles. Application to nonspherical dust particle in the Solar System with initial orbital elements identical to those of comet Encke is presented as an example. It is shown that the motion of nonspherical submicron- and small micron-sized particle may significantly differ from the motion for spherical particle of an identical volume.

Daylight Science and Daylighting Technology

Preface.- Introduction.- Short historical review of daylight utilisation by living creatures.- Daylight photometry: history, principles and empirical development.- Propagation of light in the atmospheric environment.- Sky luminance characteristics.- Possibilities to simulate year-round changes of the local daylight climate.- Fundamental principles for daylight calculation methods.- Analytical calculation methods and tools for the design of un-glazed apertures.- Daylight methods and tools to design glazed windows and skylights.- Modelling daylight distribution in complex architectural spaces.- The neurophysiology and psychophysics of visual perception.- Discomfort and disability glare in the visual environment.- Index.

USING THE MULTIPLE SCATTERING THEORY FOR CALCULATION OF THE RADIATION FLUXES FROM EXPERIMENTAL AEROSOL DATA

Abstract The ground-based measurements of the spectral direct solar radiation fluxes and spectral sky radiances were basis for obtaining the aerosol characteristics such as columnar distribution function and effective refractive index, respectively. These characteristics were retrieved by a numerical solution of the inverse problem. The particle columnar size distribution function was chosen in the form of modified gamma distribution. The obtained aerosol parameters were utilized as input data for the multiple radiation scattering model (MRSM) to calculate the radiation fluxes. The dependence of calculation error of individual radiation characteristics (sky radiance, global and diffuse radiation) on a given number of terms NT (scattering orders) in the MRSM is studied. The NT necessary for successful calculation of radiation characteristics (for chosen accuracy) for actual atmospheric conditions is shown (aerosol optical properties were characterized, e.g., by spectral optical thickness). The approximate formulae for calculating the total sky radiances and total radiation fluxes, are find. Applying these formulae the value NT′ smaller than NT can be used for calculating radiation characteristics with the same accuracy. The scattering orders higher than NT′ are calculated on the basis of a known structure of previous scattering orders (1→NT′).

Scattering of electromagnetic waves by charged spheres: near-field external intensity distribution

This Letter treats the scattering of electromagnetic waves by an electrically charged spherical particle in near-field approximation. Particular attention is paid to the external intensity distribution at the outer edges of the particle. The difference between scattering by a charged sphere and an electrically neutral sphere is significant only when size parameters exceed unity.

Light pollution in ultraviolet and visible spectrum: effect on different visual perceptions.

In general terms, lighting research has been focused in the development of artificial light with the purpose of saving energy and having more durable lamps. However, the consequences that artificial night lighting could bring to the human being and living organisms have become an important issue recently. Light pollution represents a significant problem to both the environment and human health causing a disruption of biological rhythms related not only to the visible spectrum, but also to other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. Since the lamps emit across a wide range of the electromagnetic spectrum, all photobiological species may be exposed to another type of light pollution. By comparing five different lamps, the present study attempts to evaluate UV radiative fluxes relative to what humans and two species of insects perceive as sky glow level. We have analyzed three atmospheric situations: clear sky, overcast sky and evolving precipitable water content. One important finding suggests that when a constant illuminance of urban spaces has to be guaranteed the sky glow from the low pressure sodium lamps has the most significant effect to the visual perception of the insects tested. But having the fixed number of luminaires the situation changes and the low pressure sodium lamp would be the best choice for all three species. The sky glow effects can be interpreted correctly only if the lamp types and the required amount of scotopic luxes at the ground are taken into account simultaneously. If these two factors are combined properly, then the ecological consequences of sky glow can be partly reduced. The results of this research may be equally useful for lighting engineers, architects, biologists and researchers who are studying the effects of sky glow on humans and biodiversity.

Light pollution simulations for planar ground-based light sources

The light pollution model is employed to analyze spatial behavior of luminance at the night sky under cloudless and overcast conditions. Enhanced light excess is particularly identified at cloudy skies, because the clouds efficiently contribute to the downward luminous flux. It is evident that size of ground-based light sources can play an important role in the case of overcast sky conditions. Nevertheless, the realistically sized light sources are rarely embedded into light pollution modeling, and rather they are replaced by simple point sources. We discuss the discrepancies between sky luminance distributions when at first the planar light sources are considered and at second the point-source approximation is accepted. The found differences are noticeable if the size of the light source, distance to the observer, and altitude of a cloudy layer are comparable one to the other. Compared with point-source approximation, an inclusion of the size factor into modeling the light sources leads to partial elimination of the steep changes of sky luminance (typical for point sources of light). The narrow and sharp light pillars normally presented on the sky illuminated by point light sources can disappear or fuse together when two or more nearby light sources are considered with their real sizes. Sky elements situated close to the horizon will glow efficiently if luminous flux originates from two-dimensional ground-based entities (such as cities or villages).

Tables of phase functions, opacities, albedos, equilibrium temperatures, and radiative accelerations of dust grains in exoplanets

There has been growing observational evidence for the presence of condensates in the atmospheres and/or comet-like tails of extrasolar planets. As a result, systematic and homogeneous tables of dust properties are useful in order to facilitate further observational and theoretical studies. In this paper we present calculations and analysis of non-isotropic phase functions, asymmetry parameter (mean cosine of the scattering angle), absorption and scattering opacities, single scattering albedos, equilibrium temperatures, and radiative accelerations of dust grains relevant for extrasolar planets. Our assumptions include spherical grain shape, Deirmendjian particle size distribution, and Mie theory. We consider several species: corundum/alumina, perovskite, olivines with 0\% and 50\% iron content, pyroxenes with 0\%, 20\% and 60\% iron content, pure iron, carbon at two different temperatures, water ice, liquid water, and ammonia. The presented tables cover the wavelength range of 0.2 to 500 micron and modal particle radii from 0.01 micron to 100 micron. Equilibrium temperatures and radiative accelerations assume irradiation by a non-black-body source of light with temperatures from 7000K to 700K seen at solid angles from 2

Urban night-sky luminance due to different cloud types: A numerical experiment

\pi