Abstract

Calculations have been carried out for first- and second-order backscattering from water clouds illuminated by a continuous 0.9-μ beam with a finite divergence angle. In the single-scattering calculations several cloud types were used, while only an approximation to fair weather cumulus clouds was used for double scattering. It was found that the intensity and hence the reflectivity varied with the transceiver-cloud distance for both orders of scattering. Second-order backscattering also varied with field of view. From these results a criterion is suggested for determining when the plane parallel atmosphere theories can be used with finite beams.

© 1972 Optical Society of America

Transmitted beam profiles, integrated backscatter, and range-resolved backscatter in inhomogeneous laboratory water droplet clouds

Luc R. Bissonnette, R. B. Smith, A. Ulitsky, J. D. Houston, and Allan I. Carswell
Appl. Opt. 27(12) 2485-2494 (1988)

Simulated polarization diversity lidar returns from water and precipitating mixed phase clouds

Kenneth Sassen, Hongjie Zhao, and Gregory C. Dodd
Appl. Opt. 31(15) 2914-2923 (1992)

Lidar depolarization from multiple scattering in marine stratus clouds

Kenneth Sassen and Richard L. Petrilla
Appl. Opt. 25(9) 1450-1459 (1986)

Laser transmission-backscattering through inhomogeneous cirrus clouds

Szu-Cheng Ou, Yoshihide Takano, Kuo-Nan Liou, Randy J. Lefevre, and Michael W. Johnson
Appl. Opt. 41(27) 5744-5754 (2002)

Range-resolved laser backscattering measurements in laboratory clouds

R. B. Smith and A. I. Carswell
Appl. Opt. 24(21) 3546-3551 (1985)