Ice Cloud Backscatter Study and Comparison with CALIPSO and MODIS Satellite Data

An invariant imbedding T-matrix (II-TM) method is used to calculate the single-scattering properties of 8-column aggregate ice crystals. The II-TM based backscatter values are compared with those calculated by the improved geometric-optics method (IGOM) to refine the backscattering properties of the ice cloud radiative model used in the MODIS Collection 6 cloud optical property product. The integrated attenuated backscatter-to-cloud optical depth (IAB-ICOD) relation is derived from simulations using a CALIPSO (Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite) lidar simulator based on a Monte Carlo radiative transfer model. By comparing the simulation results and co-located CALIPSO and MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) observations, the non-uniform zonal distribution of ice clouds over ocean is characterized in terms of a mixture of smooth and rough ice particles. The percentage of the smooth particles is approximately 6 percent and 9 percent for tropical and mid-latitude ice clouds, respectively.