Quantifying the Impact of the Surface Roughness of Hexagonal Ice Crystals on Backscattering Properties for Lidar‐Based Remote Sensing Applications

Abstract

AbstractImpacts of small‐scale surface irregularities, or surface roughness, of atmospheric ice crystals on lidar backscattering properties are quantified. Geometric ice crystal models with various degrees of surface roughness and state‐of‐the‐science light‐scattering computational capabilities are utilized to simulate the single‐scattering properties across the entire practical size parameter range. The simulated bulk lidar and depolarization ratios of polydisperse ice crystals at wavelength 532 nm are strongly sensitive to the degree of surface roughness. Comparisons of these quantities between the theoretical simulations and counterparts inferred from spaceborne lidar observations for cold cirrus clouds suggest a typical surface‐roughness‐degree range of 0.03–0.15 in the cases of compact hexagonal ice crystals, which is most consistent with direct measurements of scanning electron microscopic images. To properly interpret lidar backscattering observations of ice clouds, it is necessary to account for the degree of surface roughness in light‐scattering computations involving ice crystals.