Extensive calculations aimed at determining the effect of aerosols on the solar energy absorbed, reflected and transmitted by cloudless, nonhomogeneous, plane-parallel atmospheric models were recently carried out with the object of treating the radiation transfer in as comprehensive a manner as possible consistent with reasonable computing time. The concentration of aerosol (spherical particles with size distribution and refractive index independent of height), ozone and water vapor were specified for 160 layers of varying thickness from the surface to 45 km. The solar spectrum (0.285–2.5 μm) was divided into 83 intervals with appropriate functions representing the scattering and absorption of gases and aerosol assigned to each, the index of refraction of the aerosol taken to be wavelength-independent. Upward and downward fluxes for each spectral interval at each level were computed taking into account all orders of scattering. Results will be presented for four model atmospheres to show the abso... Abstract Extensive calculations aimed at determining the effect of aerosols on the solar energy absorbed, reflected and transmitted by cloudless, nonhomogeneous, plane-parallel atmospheric models were recently carried out with the object of treating the radiation transfer in as comprehensive a manner as possible consistent with reasonable computing time. The concentration of aerosol (spherical particles with size distribution and refractive index independent of height), ozone and water vapor were specified for 160 layers of varying thickness from the surface to 45 km. The solar spectrum (0.285–2.5 μm) was divided into 83 intervals with appropriate functions representing the scattering and absorption of gases and aerosol assigned to each, the index of refraction of the aerosol taken to be wavelength-independent. Upward and downward fluxes for each spectral interval at each level were computed taking into account all orders of scattering. Results will be presented for four model atmospheres to show the abso...