Icy wave-cloud lunar corona and cirrus iridescence

Abstract

dual – polarization lidar datum and radiosonde datum are used to determine that iridescence in cirrus and a lunar corona in a thin wave cloud were cause by tiny ice crystal , not droplet of liquid water . The size of the corona diffraction ring record in photograph is used to estimate the mean diameter of the diffract particle to be$14.6\mathrm{\mu m}$, much small than conventional ice crystal . The iridescent cloud was locate at the tropopause [$\sim 11–13.6\mathrm{km}$ above mean sea level (ASL)] with temperature near $-70°C$, while the more optically pure corona was located at approximately $9.5\mathrm{km}$ ASL is nearing with temperature near$-60°C$. Lidar cross-polarization ratios of 0.5 and 0.4 confirm that ice formed both the iridescence and the corona, respectively.

© 2011 Optical Society of America

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