ARCTIC POLAR STRATOSPHERIC CLOUD OBSERVATIONS BY AIRBORNE LIDAR

Lidar observations obtained from January 24 to February 2, 1989, during the Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition (AASE) mission further support the existence of two distinct classes (Types 1 and 2) of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs). Most of the Type 1 PSCs observed were formed by rapid adiabatic cooling and exhibited very low depolarization ratios and low‐to‐intermediate scattering ratios. Type 2 PSCs were observed in regions of lowest temperature and showed much larger depolarization and scattering ratios, as would be expected from larger ice crystals. PSCs with low scattering ratios but moderate depolarization ratios were observed near the center of the vortex on one flight. These may have been either sparse Type 2 PSCs or Type 1 PSCs formed by less rapid cooling. Copyright 1990 by the American Geophysical Union.