Backscatter by azimuthally oriented ice crystals of cirrus clouds.
The backscattering Mueller matrix has been calculated for the first time for the hexagonal ice columns and plates with both zenith and azimuth preferential orientations. The possibility of a vertically pointing polarization lidar measuring the full Mueller matrix for retrieving the orientation distributions of the crystals is considered. It is shown that the element m44or, equivalently, the circular depolarization ratio distinguishes between the low and high zenith tilts of the crystals. Then, at their low or high zenith tilts, either the element m22or m34, respectively, should be measured to retrieve the azimuth tilts.
Alexander
A
Konoshonkin
Zhenzhu
Z
Wang
Anatoli
A
Borovoi
Natalia
N
Kustova
Dong
D
Liu
Chenbo
C
Xie