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Mie Scattering
giving clouds their white appearance

Another type of scattering (called Mie Scattering) is responsible for the white appearance of clouds.


Photograph by Ron L. Holle


Mie scattering occurs when the wavelengths of visible light are more or less equally scattered.


Clouds appear white when cloud droplets effectively scatter all wavelengths of visible light in all directions.


Terms for using data resources. CD-ROM available.
Credits and Acknowledgments for WW2010.
Department of Atmospheric Sciences (DAS) at
the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.