Computed degree of polarization P_s of starlight reflected by planets with ocean surfaces (solid blue lines) or dry surfaces (dashed black lines), and different atmospheres (different line color darkness), with h_c indicating the vertical extent of the clouds, presented at five planetary phase angles → from 90° to 170°. The wind speed v over the oceans is 7 ms^→1. The dry planets have black surfaces (a_s = 0.0). In Fig. 15a, the lines for the dry planets with various H₂O VMRs virtually overlap.