night visual range
(Also called nighttime visual range, transmission range.) The maximum distance at which a normal observer can see a particular point light source under given atmospheric conditions.
For a light source of luminous power Pv (in lumens), uniform atmospheric extinction coefficient σ along the viewing direction, and threshold illuminance Ethresh for the observer, the night visual range x is Unlike the daytime visual range, the night visual range is determined by both the inverse-square law and atmospheric extinction. Note that for a light to be seen at a distance x > 0, its illuminance at the observer (Pv/x2) must exceed Ethresh. Even if σ is known, there is no unique night visual range because x also depends on Pv and the observer's dark adaptation.
See Allard's law
See Allard's law
Copyright 2022 American Meteorological Society (AMS). For permission to reuse any portion of this work, please contact permissions@ametsoc.org. Any use of material in this work that is determined to be “fair use” under Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act (17 U.S. Code § 107) or that satisfies the conditions specified in Section 108 of the U.S.Copyright Act (17 USC § 108) does not require AMS’s permission. Republication, systematic reproduction, posting in electronic form, such as on a website or in a searchable database, or other uses of this material, except as exempted by the above statement, require written permission or a license from AMS. Additional details are provided in the AMS Copyright Policy statement.