Multiple scattering simulations for the Japanese space lidar project ELISE

Spaceborne lidar observations have a great potential to improve our knowledge of the atmosphere. However, contrary to ground-based or airborne lidar measurements in observations from space multiple scattering (MS) has to be accounted for under all atmospheric conditions. A simple way to achieve this is to introduce the approximative MS factor F in the single scattering lidar equation. We determined F for measurements of aerosols, ice and water clouds as they were planned with the Japanese space lidar ELISE. We found that F is almost constant in cirrus clouds and in water clouds which are penetrable by lidar. In aerosol layers F depends on penetration depth, extinction coefficient and aerosol type. In comparison to LITE the MS factor is smaller (for aerosols and water clouds) or almost equal (cirrus).