Statistical approach to analysis of lidar signals in case of multiple scattering

The lidar technique used provides simultaneous recording of parallel and cross polarized components of the returned signal at different viewing angles of the receiving optics. The experimental data consist of time series of both polarized components recorded from different distances along the sounding path within the cloud. The auto-correlation functions of both polarization components are calculated using the time series of the lidar signal obtained at different distances. The auto-correlation functions of the parallel component of the lidar signal show two zones within the cloud, where the aerosol backscattering coefficient has close values. The auto-correlation functions of the cross component of the signal reveals the existence of a similar zone, which determines the area which the multiple scattering develops in the same manner. The cross-correlation functions of the parallel and cross components of the polarized signals confirm our suggestion as they show a time delay of ∼ 150 ns.