Vol. 17, issue 09, article # 4

Kokhanenko G. P., Krekova M. M., Penner I. E., Shamanaev V. S. Detection of hydrosol inhomogeneities by polarization lidar. // Atmospheric and oceanic optics. 2004. V. 17. No. 09. P. 668-675.    PDF
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Abstract:

By recording the polarization components of a lidar return signal one can significantly improve the efficiency of sensing of the upper ocean layer. The appearance of cross-polarized component of the lidar return is known to be related either to the presence of nonspherical particles in the scattering volume or to high level of multiple scattering. In natural waters both of these factors can work as the hydrosol particles are nonspherical and the optical depth of the water layer sounded can achieve significant values. As a result, the polarization pattern of the lidar return even in the surface layer is normally difficult to interpret. In this paper, an attempt to interpret data of polarization lidar measurements is made. It was aimed at detecting stratified structure of undersurface water. For this purpose, the results of numerical simulation of lidar returns are compared with the results of lidar observations. The scheme of formation of the cross-polarized component in the lidar return proposed explains the appearance of local depolarization maxima. Data of airborne lidar observations show that there exists a relation between variations of the extinction coefficient and the depolarization ratio along the flight line. It is shown that joint analysis of both of the polarization components of lidar returns yields higher quality of the information on hydrosol media.