Monte Carlo simulation of the effects caused by multiple scattering of ground-based and spaceborne lidar pulses in clouds

Abstract

Specific features of the laser pulse propagation and formation of lidar returns during the remote sensing of clouds with ground-based and spaceborne lidars are Monte Carlo analyzed. The effect of “return sharpening” is revealed, which makes a distant cloud boundary more visible. The results of stochastic simulation of the expanding solid torus of light that can be generated by a laser pulse in a cloud layer are discussed. The software created by the author for lidar return simulation and accessible on the Internet is briefly described.