Calculation of scanning lidar returns while sounding cirrus clouds with quasi-horizontally oriented crystals
A.V. Konoshonkin1,2, N.V. Kustova1, V.A. Shishko1,2, D.N. Timofeev1, N. Kan1, I.V. Tkachev1, A.G. Borovoi1, G.P. Kokhanenko1, Yu.S. Balin1
1V.E. Zuev Institute of Atmospheric Optics of Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Science, Tomsk, Russia
2National Research Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia
Keywords: light scattering, scanning lidar, physical optics method, atmospheric ice crystal, cirrus clouds
Abstract
The results of numerical simulation of a scanning lidar return for the case of sounding a cloud containing quasi-horizontally oriented plate-like crystals are presented. It is shown that a vertically oriented lidar is "blinded" by the specular component of the scattered radiation, while the scanning lidar return is sensitive to the crystal shape. The results of the numerical calculation confirm a sharp increase in the depolarization ratio in the vicinity of scanning angles of 30°, which was earlier observed in experiments. It is found out that this depolarization ratio enhancement is a marker of the perfect shape of a plate-like crystal and can be used to interpret experimental data.
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