Abstract
With the invention of the laser, lidar systems were developed to probe the atmosphere for avariety of purposes, including the opening of a new frontier of cloud physics research. Theirhigh range resolution and increased sensitivity to small hydrometeors were suited for determiningthe properties of some overlooked types of clouds (e. g., cirrus), which over timeassumed increased stature for our understanding of climate. Although one-channel lidars candefine the physical boundaries of clouds, the most widely exploited technique has been polarizationdiversity, which relies on fundamental principles to discriminate between water and icephase clouds. Our understanding of the properties of all types of clouds has been enhanced bypolarization lidar field studies, often using a synergistic multiple remote sensorapproach. Theincorporation of polarization diversity into lidar systems based on spectroscopic approachesalso promises to increase their utility and accuracy. We graphically illustrate here the currentscope of lidar research pertaining to clouds.
