Classifying atmospheric ice crystals by spatial light scattering
View/ Open
Author
Kaye, Paul H.
Hirst, Edwin
Greenaway, Richard
Ulanowski, Zbigniew
Hesse, Evelyn
DeMott, P.
Saunders, C.
Connolly, P.
Attention
2299/10463
Abstract
We describe preliminary results from an optical scattering instrument designed to assess the shapes and sizes of microscopic atmospheric cloud particles, especially the smallest ice crystals, that can profoundly affect cloud processes and radiative properties. The new instrument captures high-resolution spatial light scattering patterns from individual particles down to ~1 μm in size passing through a focused laser beam. Its significance lies in the ability of these patterns to provide morphological data for particle sizes well below the optical resolution limits of current cloud particle probes