If you are referring to penetration depth, the correct equation for scattering-absorbing media is d = sqrt(1/(3*(muA+muS')*muA)), where muS' = muS*(1-g) . muA - absorption coefficient, muS - scattering coefficient and g - anisotropy. You can read more about it in https://www.imt.liu.se/edu/courses/TBMT36/pdf/JBO2.pdf

The reference has NOTHING to do with the question and it even was up-voted?

The answer is: in principle yes but what does the questioner want to do with the OD?

However form a theoretical point of view the absorption is not independent of scattering because the absorptive soot is inside material with lensing of the outer non-absorptive layer. This makes increases the absorption

@ harry, I wanted the AOD as an input for TUV model for calculation of photolysis frequencies. I was trying to download the daily 1X1 degree level 3 AOD data from http://gdata2.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/daac-bin/G3/gui.cgi?instance_id=omi

But there I can find different absorption and extinction optical depth for a given wavelength. This is why i asked this question.

http://gdata2.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/daac-bin/G3/gui.cgi?instance_id=omi

In the reference I see a misnotation of the SSA

should be the ratio of scattering /(scattering + absorption)

or

scattering/extinction

EXTINCTION = SCATTERING + ABSORPTION

what you write is the SINLE SCATTERING ALBEDO (SSA)

Second of all the AOD is the logarithm of the ratio of transmitted light intensity versus initial intensity

and the AOD is a sum of scattering and absorption by aerosol AND by the air molecules (RAYLEIGH-scattering); the RAYLEIGH scattering is subtracted

And at certain wavelengths there is additional attenuation of light by absorption by trace-gases like NO2 and ozone and even water vapour

Please consult a textbook such as Iqbal

Correction

I meant total OD