Two-Beam Polarization Lidar for the Estimation a Flutter of Horizontally Oriented Crystals in Cirrus Clouds

The study of the spatial orientation of ice crystals in cirrus clouds is a relevant problem in atmospheric optics, as the orientation of particles significantly influences the process of solar energy transfer in the atmosphere. The systematic carrying out of such observations is challenging due to the lack of available instruments. This article presents a new type of lidar – a two-beam polarization lidar – that enables the necessary observations. The numerical simulations of the signal from this lidar as a function of the sounding beam angle are described. The obtained numerical solution has been verified using experimental data collected with a scanning polarization lidar.