Generalised Trends In Atmospheric Attenuation And The Importance of Accurate Extinction Calculation

Abstract

The purpose of this literature review is to explore and quantify the causes of attenuation of electromagnetic radiation, as well as to develop generalized trends for extinction as a function of influential factors (wavelength of incident electromagnetic wave, altitude of observatory, variations in seasons). This literature review also discusses the implications of precise measurement of atmospheric attenuation in determining intrinsic luminosity of stars in astronomical photometry and significance of accurate measurement for atmospheric extinction to precisely calculate the mass, size and lifetime of stars in the main sequence of the Hertzsprung-Russell plot diagram.