Cloud effective particle size and water content profile retrievals using combined lidar and radar observations - 2. Comparison with IR radiometer and in situ measurements of ice clouds

A new combined lidar/radar inversion procedure has been developed for cloud effective radius and water content retrievals. The algorithm treats the lidar extinction, derived effective particle size, and multiple-scattering effects together in a consistent fashion. This procedure has been applied to data taken during the Netherlands Cloud and Radiation (CLARA) campaign and the Cloud Lidar and Radar Experiment (CLARE'98) multisensor cloud measurement campaign. The results of the algorithm compare well with simultaneous IR radiometer cloud measurements as well as with measurements made by using aircraft-mounted two-dimensional probe particle-sizing instruments.