Asymptotic behavior of lidar scattering properties of absorbing dust aerosols across Rayleigh and geometrical-optics regimes: theory and implications
- 1University of Maryland, Baltimore County (Baltimore, United States of America)
Abstract
Lidar ratio ( S ), linear depolarization ratio ( δ ), and single-scattering albedo ( ω ) are central quantities for dust typing and property retrieval in lidar remote sensing. We investigate their dependence on size parameter ( x ) and iron oxide fraction of mineral dust using TAMUdust2020 and triaxial-ellipsoid calculations. Results show a consistent asymptotic structure that is weakly sensitive to particle shape in both limits of scattering theory. In the Rayleigh limit ( x ≪1), S∝x-3 and ω ∝ x ³ , while δ remains small. In the geometrical-optics limit ( x ≫1), δ decreases toward low values and ω→1/2, whereas S increases because backscatter is reduced relative to extinction by strong absorption and diffraction-dominated scattering. These asymptotic constraints provide a unified physical interpretation of multiwavelength dust-lidar behavior and help explain observed spectral variability of dust depolarization and lidar ratio. A key implication is that large, strongly absorbing dust can produce optical signatures that overlap with weakly depolarizing aerosol classes, which may bias standard classification and inversion schemes toward underestimation of coarse and super-coarse dust contributions.
Versions
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BibTeX
@article{luna2026asymptotic,
title = {{Asymptotic behavior of lidar scattering properties of absorbing dust aerosols across Rayleigh and geometrical-optics regimes: theory and implications}},
author = {Anthony La Luna and Zhibo Zhang and Qianqian Song and Hongbin Yu and John E. Yorks and Ping Yang},
journal = {Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.5194/acp-26-14487-2026},
url = {https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/26/14487/2026/},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Asymptotic behavior of lidar scattering properties of absorbing dust aerosols across Rayleigh and geometrical-optics regimes: theory and implications
AU - Anthony La Luna
AU - Zhibo Zhang
AU - Qianqian Song
AU - Hongbin Yu
AU - John E. Yorks
AU - Ping Yang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/13
JO - Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
DO - 10.5194/acp-26-14487-2026
UR - https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/26/14487/2026/
AB - Lidar ratio ( S ), linear depolarization ratio ( δ ), and single-scattering albedo ( ω ) are central quantities for dust typing and property retrieval in lidar remote sensing. We investigate their dependence on size parameter ( x ) and iron oxide fraction of mineral dust using TAMUdust2020 and triaxial-ellipsoid calculations. Results show a consistent asymptotic structure that is weakly sensitive to particle shape in both limits of scattering theory. In the Rayleigh limit ( x ≪1), S∝x-3 and ω ∝ x ³ , while δ remains small. In the geometrical-optics limit ( x ≫1), δ decreases toward low values and ω→1/2, whereas S increases because backscatter is reduced relative to extinction by strong absorption and diffraction-dominated scattering. These asymptotic constraints provide a unified physical interpretation of multiwavelength dust-lidar behavior and help explain observed spectral variability of dust depolarization and lidar ratio. A key implication is that large, strongly absorbing dust can produce optical signatures that overlap with weakly depolarizing aerosol classes, which may bias standard classification and inversion schemes toward underestimation of coarse and super-coarse dust contributions.
SN - 1680-7324
ER -