Polarization lidar operation for measuring backscatter phase matrices of oriented scatterers

This capability allows for detection of preferential orientation within a scattering volume, and may improve scattering inversions on oriented ice crystals. The technique is enabled using a Mueller formalism commonly employed in polarimetry, which does not require the lidar instrument be polarization preserving.

Instead, the accuracy of the polarization measurements are limited by the accuracy of the instrument characterization. A high spectral resolution lidar at the National Center for Atmospheric Research was modified to demonstrate this polarization technique. Two observations where the instrument is tilted off zenith are presented.