QUANTITATIVE DETERMINATION OF AEROSOL OPTICAL PARAMETERS FROM MONOSTATIC LIDAR MEASUREMENTS.

The problem of quantitative retrieval of aerosol optical parameters from monostatic (backscatter) lidar measurements is discussed. Several solution approaches are discussed, namely, the slant-path technique, the S-ratio technique, and a combination of the two. All of these methods require certain constraints and/or boundary condition inputs to achieve a solution due to the inherent limitation of information in the lidar equation. No single solution technique or boundary condition offers the best approach in all cases. Rather, one must identify the specific conditions that apply for a given lidar application and then select the solution method that is best suited for that application.