Point spread function due to multiple scattering of light in the atmosphere

TL;DR

This paper models how atmospheric multiple scattering affects optical observations of air showers, providing a simulation-based point spread function to improve detection accuracy.

Contribution

It introduces a Monte Carlo simulation approach to quantify the atmospheric scattering effects and offers a parameterization of the resulting point spread function.

Findings

Simulated the contribution of scattered light in atmospheric observations.

Provided a parameterized model of the point spread function.

Enhanced understanding of light attenuation and delay in air shower detection.

Abstract

The atmospheric scattering of light has a significant influence on results of optical observations of air showers. It causes attenuation of direct light from the shower, but also contributes a delayed signal to the observed light. The scattering of light therefore should be accounted for, both in simulations of air shower detection and reconstruction of observed events. In this work a Monte Carlo simulation of multiple scattering of light has been used to determine the contribution of the scattered light in observations of a point source of light. Results of the simulations and a parameterization of the angular distribution of the scattered light contribution to the observed signal (the point spread function) are presented.