I created the following image with pstricks:

The fading fillings are generated by:

\psline[linewidth=10cm,linecolor=Black,linestyle=fade,fadepoints=500,fadeto=transparency](5,6)(5,1)


Since, the Earth itself is round, I obviously cannot use this drawing if precision is needed. Therefore, I created the next one:

My question is: How can I implement the same fading atmosphere effect in this situation? I'm sorry but at this late stage I cannot switch to TikZ anymore.

Code:

\PassOptionsToPackage{dvipsnames,svgnames,x11names}{xcolor}
\documentclass[11pt,pstricks]{standalone}
\standaloneconfig{border=1cm}

\begin{document}
\psset{arrowsize=6pt,linewidth=1pt}
\begin{pspicture}[showgrid=none](-3,0.25)(13,10)
\psarc[fillstyle=solid,fillcolor=LightSkyBlue,linestyle=none]{-}(5,0){8}{0}{180}
\psarc[fillstyle=solid,fillcolor=ForestGreen!50,linestyle=solid]{-}(5,0){5}{0}{180}

\psline{<->}(5,0)(5,5)
\rput[l](5.1,2.5){$R_\oplus$}

\psline{<->}(5,5)(5,8)
\rput[l](5.1,6.5){$h$}
\end{pspicture}
\end{document}


I did some tries using

\multido{\ny=7.0+0.01,\ni=0.00+0.002}{750}{\psarc[linewidth=0.15mm,linestyle=solid,linecolor=Black,strokeopacity=\ni]{-}(5,0){\ny}{0}{180}}
\multido{\ny=5.0+0.01,\ni=1.00+-0.0025}{400}{\psarc[linewidth=0.15mm,linestyle=solid,linecolor=LightSkyBlue,strokeopacity=\ni]{-}(5,0){\ny}{0}{180}}


but this is really slow and gives a comparable large pdf file.

• It's best practice to include seperate .pdf files in your main document, with precompiled images and the likes. If the file size of the pdf file bothers you, there are alternative formats, I think PDF-A is one of them (don't know about compatibility with pstricks in this context). – 1010011010 Aug 4 '14 at 11:40

there are several possibilies to play with the fillstyle ccslope. See documentation for more examples:

\documentclass[11pt,border=12pt]{standalone}
\usepackage[dvipsnames,svgnames,x11names]{pstricks}
\usepackage{pst-slpe}

\begin{document}
\psset{arrowsize=6pt,linewidth=1pt,unit=0.5}
\begin{pspicture*}(-11,0)(11,11)
\psframe*(-11,0)(11,11)
\pscircle[linestyle=none,fillstyle=ccslope,slopebegin=blue,slopeend=black](0,0){11}
\pscircle[linestyle=none,fillstyle=ccslope,slopebegin=white,slopeend=blue](0,0){10}
\psarc[fillstyle=solid,fillcolor=ForestGreen!50,linestyle=solid]{-}(0,0){6}{0}{180}
\psline{<->}(0,6)      \uput[0](0,2.5){$R_\oplus$}
\psline{<->}(0,6)(0,10)\uput[0](00,8){$h$}
\end{pspicture*}
\end{document}