Laboratory simulations of lidar returns from clouds: Experimental and numerical results

Year: 1993

Authors: Zaccanti G., Bruscaglioni P., Gurioli M., Sansoni P.

Autors Affiliation: Dip. Fisica Superiore Univ. Firenze (S. Marta), Firenze, Italy;
European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy, Largo E. Fermi 2, Firenze, Italy

Abstract: The experimental results of laboratory simulations of lidar returns from clouds are presented. Measurements were carried out on laboratory-scaled cloud models by using a picosecond laser and a streak-camera system. The turbid structures simulating clouds were suspensions of polystyrene spheres in water. The geometrical situation was similar to that of an actual lidar sounding a cloud 1000 m distant and with a thickness of 300 m. Measurements were repeated for different concentrations and different sizes of spheres. The results show how the effect of multiple scattering depends on the scattering coefficient and on the phase function of the diffusers. The depolarization introduced by multiple scattering was also investigated. The results were also compared with numerical results obtained by Monte Carlo simulations. Substantially good agreement between numerical and experimental results was found. The measurements showed the adequacy of modern electro-optical systems to study the features of multiple-scattering effects on lidar echoes from atmosphere or ocean by means of experiments on well-controlled laboratory-scaled models. This adequacy provides the possibility of studying the influence of different effects in the laboratoiy in well-controlled situations.

Journal/Review: APPLIED OPTICS

Volume: 32 (9)      Pages from: 1590  to: 1597

KeyWords: Electromagnetic wave scattering; Mathematical models; Monte Carlo methods; Optical systems; Optics; Simulation; Depolarization; Intelligent systems; Laboratories; Monte Carlo methods; Multiple scattering, Cloud sounding; Depolarization; Lidar echoes; Lidar multiple scattering, Optical radar; Optical radar, Controlled laboratories; Electro-optical systems; Laboratory simulation; Lidar multiple scattering; Multiple scattering effect; Picosecond lidars; Polystyrene spheres; Scattering co-efficient
DOI: 10.1364/AO.32.001590

Citations: 25
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