In this paper we review theoretical foundations of reflectance spectroscopy of snow. Simple approximate equations are presented, which can be used to calculate snow absorption/extinction coefficients and also snow reflectance. The equations derived could also be used to solve the inverse radiation transfer problem. The technique can be applied to other types of turbid media with large weakly absorbing particles. It has potential for the interpretation both: ground­based and airborne, or satellite, measurements of light reflected from cryosphere of our planet, and also has potential for applications to planetary imaging spectroscopy in general. 1. Hapke B. Theory of reflectance and emittance spectroscopy – Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005, 455 p.
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• reflectance spectroscopy
• radiative transfer
• light scattering
• light absorption
• light reflectance
• inverse problem
• snow
• snow pollution
• snow grain size
• cryosphere
• remote sensing