{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,10]],"date-time":"2026-10-10T15:58:34Z","timestamp":1791647914399,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":24,"publisher":"Optica Publishing Group","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,2]],"date-time":"2026-02-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1769990400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1364\/OA_License_v2#VOR"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,2]],"date-time":"2026-02-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1769990400000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/opg.optica.org\/policies\/opg-tdm-policy.json"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["opg.optica.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Appl. Opt."],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,20]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>\n                    Long-distance observations (LDOs)\u2014the visual or photographic\n\t\t\t\t\tdocumentation of terrestrial\n\t\t\t\t\tobjects from distances often exceeding the geometric horizon\u2014are an\n\t\t\t\t\temerging interdisciplinary field. However, a robust scientific basis\n\t\t\t\t\tthat integrates empirical records with atmospheric physics is\n\t\t\t\t\tcurrently lacking. This study establishes such a methodology by\n\t\t\t\t\tcombining a systematic typology of LDOs with a quantitative analysis\n\t\t\t\t\tof their controlling physical factors. The methodology integrates\n\t\t\t\t\tnumerical simulations with analyses of photographic case studies from\n\t\t\t\t\tdedicated observer communities, including record-setting observations\n\t\t\t\t\tfrom Turkey (493\u00a0km), South America (484\u00a0km), and\n\t\t\t\t\tCentral Europe (over 200\u00a0km). Analysis demonstrates that\n\t\t\t\t\textreme\n                    <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">visual range<\/jats:italic>\n                    is primarily\n\t\t\t\t\tenabled by strong atmospheric refraction within thermal inversion\n\t\t\t\t\tlayers. Key findings reveal the critical role of atmospheric\n\t\t\t\t\ttransparency, turbulence, and illumination geometry in modulating\n\t\t\t\t\tobservational success. It is concluded that LDOs serve a dual purpose:\n\t\t\t\t\t(i) as natural experiments for studying stratified atmospheric states\n\t\t\t\t\tand (ii) as a valuable, community-driven citizen-science practice that\n\t\t\t\t\tprovides high-resolution spatio-temporal data complementary to formal\n\t\t\t\t\tmeteorological monitoring.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1364\/ao.581882","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,12]],"date-time":"2026-01-12T21:00:08Z","timestamp":1768251608000},"page":"C48","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1364\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Long-distance observations: integrating atmospheric optics, meteorology, and citizen science"],"prefix":"10.1364","volume":"65","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-3801-6805","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Pawe\u0142","family":"K\u0142ak","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-8928-896X","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Mariusz","family":"Krukar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"285","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"ao-65-9-C48-R1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3612","DOI":"10.1364\/AO.39.003612","type":"journal-article","volume":"39","author":"Lehn","year":"2000","journal-title":"Appl. Opt."},{"key":"ao-65-9-C48-R2","volume-title":"Annales Seu Cronicae incliti Regni\n\t\t\t\t\tPoloniae Liber","volume":"1\/2","author":"D\u0142ugosz","year":"1964"},{"key":"ao-65-9-C48-R3","volume-title":"O ziemiorodztwie g\u00f3r dawniey Sarmacyi,\n\t\t\t\t\ta p\u00f3\u017aniey Polski","author":"Staszic","year":"1805"},{"key":"ao-65-9-C48-R4","first-page":"71","type":"journal-article","volume":"36","author":"Garner","year":"1933","journal-title":"Sci. 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All rights, including\n\t\t\t\t\tfor text and data mining (TDM), Artificial Intelligence (AI) training,\n\t\t\t\t\tand similar technologies, are reserved.","name":"copyright","label":"Copyright"}]}}