Optical backscatter measurement of cloud particulates

Optical backscatter measurements of cloud particulates provide a means to make important in-situ observations of the atmosphere. These observations are vital for ascertaining if airspace is safe for commercial air traffic and for understanding global climate challenges. In this work, a new detection and measurement system based on optical backscattering with a backscattering angle of 135-150° is demonstrated. From the polarization ratio and backscatter signal magnitude at various angles and different wavelengths, the mean particle size and their number density as well as type of particle can be evaluated. Measurements on water particle density and size are reported, and the extension to silica particle measurements is discussed.