Optical path

{
  "id": "MLC-T-MET-007712",
  "term": "Optical path",
  "field": "Meteorology and atmospheric science",
  "definition": "A measure of the effective distance traveled by electromagnetic radiation through a medium, calculated as the geometric length of the path multiplied by the medium's refractive index. This value accounts for the reduced speed of light in a medium compared to its speed in a vacuum. For atmospheric remote sensing, the optical path is integrated along a line of sight through air of varying density and composition to determine the total absorption and scattering experienced by a light beam.",
  "see_also": [
    "optical pathlength",
    "optical thickness"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/meteorology/optical-path/"
}