Monitoring Ice Crystals Clouds: Investigation of the Lidar Depolarization Ratios

Abstract

A cirrus cloud dataset from a groundbased lidar in a sub-arctic station is analyzed in terms of the particle depolarization ratio. The depolarization values -δ- showed a broad distribution, ranging between 0.25 and 0.7, with a mean value of 0.38 ± 0.07. This variability is examined in correlation with temperature dependencies and the cirrus optical depth. Depolarization values greater than 0.45 are observed from temperatures between -60oC and -40oC, where horizontally oriented planar ice crystals are to be expected. Two case studies are also, discussed and analyzed in terms of depolarization height dependence.