Impact of cirrus cloud ice crystal shape and size on multiple scattering effects: Application to spaceborne and airborne backscatter lidar measurements during LITE Mission and E LITE Campaign

Forward scattering in cirrus clouds can significantly affect backscatter lidar signal. Its contribution can be estimated numerically knowing the size and shape of the crystals. Contemporary airborne and space‐borne lidar measurements collected during the European Lidar In‐space Technology Experiment (E‐LITE) field campaign (in the framework of the NASA/LITE mission) are used to show that forward scattering reduces the optical depth derived from space‐borne measurements by at least a factor of 2 with respect to the true value. This reduction factor is discussed in terms of crystal size and shape (i.e. forward scattering, and measurement configuration). It is shown that cirrus backscatter‐to‐extinction ratios derived from airborne and space‐borne lidar measurements can be used to illustrate the sensitivity of multiple scattering effects the ice crystal size and shape.