Effect of diffraction on mirror reflection by crystalline particles

Abstract

The report presents the results of observations of horizontally oriented crystalline particles in the clouds of the upper levels using a scanning polarization lidar. The measured dependence of the lidar signal on the lidar inclination angle is described by an exponential distribution and corresponds to the distribution of particle inclinations relative to the horizontal plane (flutter). Diffraction on the contour of the particles appears as a smoothing of the top of the measured distribution and depends on the size of the crystals. The effect of diffraction is significant for narrow distributions over tilt angles.