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astrop
Jan26-10, 09:17 PM
1. The problem statement, all variables and given/known data
Suppose there is an optically thin emitting ring with inner radius r_{in} and outer radius r_{out} seen edge on. Compute the relative surface brightness of the ring as a function of its projected position in the sky.

2. Relevant equations

Radiative transfer:
dE = I_{\nu} dA cos\theta d\nu d\omega dt

Emission:
\frac{dI_{\nu}}{ds}cos\theta = j_{\nu} - k_{\nu}I_{\nu}

3. The attempt at a solution
I'm assuming that the center of the ring is at a distance D>>r_{out}. The angle \theta is the angle between the normal to the ground and the line going to the center of the ring. I think I can drop the extinction coefficient so that:
\frac{dI_{\nu}}{ds}cos\theta = j_{\nu}

I'm not entirely sure how exactly to proceed. Do I just need to figure out what ds is? This would be the area of the ring covered by some angle from the center of the ring?