Abstract
The vertical distribution of the heating rate due to absorption of the visible solar radiation by aerosols is studied by solving the equation of radiative transfer in turbid atmospheres. Realistic model atmospheres with respect to size and vertical distributions of aerosols as well as surface reflectivity are assumed, and latitude-altitude variation of the heating rate is calculated as a function of atmospheric turbidity and complex refractive index of aerosols. It is shown that the heating rate increases in the lower atmosphere of the low latitude region, and becomes comparable to the heating rate due to absorption of near infrared solar radiation by gaseous constituents there. It is shown, however, that the heating rate is greatly affected by the imaginary part of the refractive index of aerosols. A possivility of determing the imaginary part from field observations is suggested.
