Microwave radiative transfer through clouds composed of realistically shaped ice crystals. Part I: single scattering properties

Abstract

The results indicate that particle shape has a significant effect; for example, there is a range of about 3 in extinction over the five shapes for the same size distribution and ice water content. Crystal shape is the dominant effect on the polarization of the scattering, with the thinner shapes having the more polarizing effect. The characteristic particle size has the greatest imapct on the extinction and single-scattering albedo, while the distribution width has only a minor effect. -from Authors