“Light reflection functions for simulation of clouds and dusty surfaces” by Blinn

The study of the physical process of light interacting with matter is an important part of computer image synthesis since it forms the basis for calculations of intensities in the picture. The simpler models used in the past are being augmented by more complex models gleaned from the physics literature. This paper is another step in the direction of assimilating such knowledge. It concerns the statistical simulation of light passing through and being reflected by clouds of similar small particles. (It does not, however, address the cloud structure modeling problem). By extension it can be applied to surfaces completely covered by dust and is therefore a physical basis for various theories of diffuse reflection.

1. Blinn, J. F., Models of light reflection for computer synthesizes pictures, Computer Graphics, Vol 11, No. 2, 192-198.
2. Cook, R. L., and Torrance, K. E., A reflectance model for computer graphics, Computer Graphics, Vol 15, No. 3 (1981), 307-316.
3. Chandrasekhar, S., Radiative Transfer, Dover, New York, 1960.
4. Esposito, L. W., and Lumme, K. (1977). The tilt effect for Saturns’s rings. Icarus 31, 157-167.
5. Esposito, L. W. (1979). Extensions to the classical calculation of the effect of mutual shadowing in diffuse reflection. Icarus 39, 69-80.
6. Esposito, L. W., et al. (1979). International planetary patrol observations of Saturn’s rings II. Four color phase curves and their analysis. Astron. J. 84, 1408-1415.
7. Hansen, J. E., and Travis, L. (1974). Light scattering in planetary atmospheres. Space Sci. Rev. 16, 527-610.
8. Hapke, B. W. (1963). A theoretical photometric function for the lunar surface. J. Geophys. Res. 68, 4571-4586.
9. Henyey, L. G., and Greenstein, J. L. (1941), Diffuse reflection in the galaxy, Astrophys. J. 93, 70.
10. Irvine, W. M. (1966). The shadowing effect in diffuse reflection. J. Geophys. Res. 71, 2931-2937.
11. Kawata, Y., and Irvine, W. M., Models of Saturns’s rings which satisfy the optical observations. in Woszczyk and Iwaniszewska (eds.) Exploration of the Planetary System, 441-464.
12. Klaasen, K. P., Duxbury, T. C. and Veverka, J. (1979). Photometry of Phobos and Deimos from viking orbiter images. J. Geophys. Res. 84, 8478-8486.
13. Max, N. L., Vectorized Procedural Models for Natural Terrain: waves and islands in the sunset, Computer Graphics, Vol. 15, No. 3 (1981), 317-324.
14. Newell, M. E., and Blinn, J. F., The progression of realism in computer generated images, Proceedings of ACM National Conf., 1977, 444-448.
15. Veverka, J., Goguen, J., Yang, S., and Elliot, J. (1978). Scattering of light from particulate surfaces. I. A laboratory assesment of multiple scattering effects. Icarus 34, 406-414.
16. Veverka, J., The physical meaning of phase coefficients. NASA SP-267, 79-90.