ABSTRACT
The earth’s atmosphere is known to contain numerous micrometer-sized aerosol particles that are composed of silicate dust, ammonium sulfate [(NH4)2SO4], amorphous carbon, sodium chloride, water, and solutions of nitric, sulfuric, and hydrochloric acids. In order to characterize the optical behavior of these particles so that their effect on atmospheric optical transmission, scattering, and absorption may be determined, their fundamental optical properties (i.e., the complex index of refraction) must be determined.
