A Model for Estimating Joint Probabilities of Cloud-Free Lines-of-Sight Through the Atmosphere

Abstract

Signals transmitted through the atmosphere in the visible and infrared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum can be seriously degraded by clouds between the source and the receiver. A previously published model was developed for estimating probabilities of cloud-free lines-of-sight through the atmosphere at any desired elevation angle and geographical location. This paper extends the published model to the problem of estimating probabilities of cloud-free lines-of-sight from n of m observing sites. A climatic record of sky-cover observations taken simultaneously from all m sites is required before the model can be applied.