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We performed Monte Carlo simulations of single-wavelength lidar signals from multi-layered clouds with special attention focused on the multiple-scattering (MS) effect in regions of the cloud-free molecular atmosphere (i.e. between layers or outside a cloud system). Despite the fact that the strength of lidar signals from the molecular atmosphere is much lower compared to the in-cloud intervals, studies of MS effects in such regions are of interest from scientific and practical points of view. The MS effect on lidar signals always decreases with the increasing distance from the cloud far edge. The decrease is the direct consequence of the fact that the forward peak of particle phase functions is much larger than the receiver field of view (RFOV). Therefore, the photons scattered within the forward peak escape the sampling volume formed by the RFOV (i.e. the escape effect). We demonstrated that the escape effect is an inherent part of MS properties within the free atmosphere beyond the cloud far edge. In the cases of the ground-based lidar, the MS contribution is lower than 5 % within the regions of the cloud-free molecular atmosphere with a distance from the cloud far edge of about 1 km or higher. In the cases of the space-borne lidar, the rate of decrease of the MS contribution is so slow that the threshold of 5 % can hardly be reached. In addition, the effect of non-uniform beam filling is extremely strong. Therefore, practitioners should employ, with proper precautions, lidar data from regions below the cloud base when treating data of a space-borne lidar. In the case of two-layered cloud, the distance of 1 km is sufficiently large so that the scattered photons emerging from the first layer do not affect signals from the second layer when we are dealing with the ground-based lidar. In contrast, signals from the near edge of the second cloud layer are severely affected by the photons emerging from the first layer in the case of a space-borne lidar. We evaluated the Eloranta model (EM) in extreme conditions and showed its good performance in the cases of ground-based and space-borne lidars. At the same time, we revealed the shortcoming that can affect practical applications of the EM. Namely, values of the key parameters – i.e. the ratios of phase functions in the backscatter direction for the nth-order-scattered photon and a singly scattered photon – depend not only on the particle phase function but also on the distance from a lidar to the cloud and the receiver field of view. Those ratios vary within a quite large range, and the MS contribution to lidar signals can be largely overestimated or underestimated if erroneous values of the ratios are assigned to the EM.

Peas are a crop that is quite picky about weather conditions, therefore, against the backdrop of worsening climatic conditions, it is necessary to pay attention to the wintering form. The main advantage of overwintering peas is that it uses the moisture of the winter period and thanks to this forms above-ground and underground biomass of plants even before the onset of summer drought. At the beginning of the recovery of spring vegetation, plants have a well-developed root system that penetrates deep into the soil up to 10 cm, while spring peas at this time are just beginning to sow. As a result, the potential yield of winter peas is 2-3 times higher than that of spring peas. The purpose of the research was to determine the influence of varietal features of plants, seed sowing rates on the photosynthetic activity of crops and grain yield of winter peas in the conditions of southern Ukraine. Research methods: field, laboratory, computational, statistical. As a result of the research, the peculiarities of the growth of the above-ground mass of plants, the photosynthetic activity of crops and the formation of grain yield of winter pea varieties were studied. The optimal rate of winter pea seed sowing, at which the genetic potential of varieties is fully realized, has been revealed. The norm of seed sowing was established, at which winter pea plants formed the maximum area of the leaf surface. Research has established that in most cases the maximum level of biomass harvest is formed at the minimum density of plants in the budding phase. As the density increases, the biomass gradually decreases, which is a reliable sign of the significant advantage of crops with lower sowing rates in terms of photosynthesis productivity.It was determined that the highest winter pea grain yield, on average over the years of research and according to the studied sowing rates, was formed by the Enduro variety. Research has established that wintering peas form a small area of the leaf surface, which is characterized by a high level of difference in productivity at a reduced seeding rate. The practical aspects and conclusions reflected in the article are aimed at improving the processes of wintering pea productivity in the conditions of southern Ukraine, in particular, at significantly more efficient use of moisture during the growing season of plants for the formation of a unit of harvest

We performed extensive Monte Carlo (MC) simulations of single-wavelength lidar signals from a plane-parallel homogeneous layer of atmospheric particles and developed an empirical model to account for the multiple scattering in the lidar signals. The simulations have taken into consideration four types of lidar configurations (the ground based, the airborne, the CALIOP, and the ATLID) and four types of particles (coarse aerosol, water cloud, jet-stream cirrus, and cirrus). Most of the simulations were performed with a spatial resolution 20 m and particle extinction coefficients εp between 0.06 and 1.0 km−1. The resolution was 5 m for high values of εp (up to 10.0 km−1). The majority of simulations for ground-based and airborne lidars were performed at two values of the receiver field of view (RFOV): 0.25 and 1.0 mrad. The effect of the width of the RFOV was studied for values up to 50 mrad. The proposed empirical model is a function that has only three free parameters and approximates the multiple-scattering relative contribution to lidar signals. It is demonstrated that the empirical model has very good quality of MC data fitting for all considered cases. Special attention was given to the usual operational conditions, i.e. low distances to a layer of partices, small optical depths, and quite narrow receiver fields of view. It is demonstrated that multiple-scattering effects cannot be neglected when the distance to a layer of particles is about 8 km or higher, and the full RFOV is 1.0 mrad. As for the full RFOV of 0.25 mrad, the single-scattering approximation is acceptable; i.e. the multiple-scattering contribution to the lidar signal is lower than 5 % for aerosols (εp≲1.0 km−1), water clouds (εp≲0.5 km−1), and cirrus clouds (εp≤0.1 km−1). When the distance to a layer of particles is 1 km, the single-scattering approximation is acceptable for aerosols and water clouds (εp≲1.0 km−1, both RFOV = 0.25 and RFOV = 1 mrad). As for cirrus clouds, the effect of multiple scattering cannot be neglected even at such low distances when εp≳0.5 km−1.

The aim of this paper is to present the Monte Carlo code McRALI that provides simulations under multiple-scattering regimes of polarized high-spectral-resolution (HSR) lidar and Doppler radar observations for a three-dimensional (3D) cloudy atmosphere. The effects of nonuniform beam filling (NUBF) on HSR lidar and Doppler radar signals related to the EarthCARE mission are investigated with the help of an academic 3D box cloud characterized by a single isolated jump in cloud optical depth, assuming vertically constant wind velocity. Regarding Doppler radar signals, it is confirmed that NUBF induces a severe bias in velocity estimates. The correlation of the NUBF bias of Doppler velocity with the horizontal gradient of reflectivity shows a correlation coefficient value around 0.15 m s−1 (dBZ km-1)-1, close to that given in the scientific literature. Regarding HSR lidar signals, we confirm that multiple-scattering processes are not negligible. We show that NUBF effects on molecular, particulate, and total attenuated backscatter are mainly due to unresolved variability of cloud inside the receiver field of view and, to a lesser extent, to the horizontal photon transport. This finding gives some insight into the reliability of lidar signal modeling using independent column approximation (ICA).

Optical array probes (OAPs) are classical instrumental means to derive shape, size, and number concentration of cloud and precipitation particles from 2-D images. However, recorded 2-D images are subject to distortion based on the diffraction of light when particles are imaged out of the object plane of the optical device. This phenomenon highly affects retrievals of microphysical properties of cloud particles. Previous studies of this effect mainly focused on spherical droplets. In this study we propose a theoretical method to compute diffraction patterns of all kinds of cloud particle shapes in order to simulate the response recorded by an OAP. To check the validity of this method, a series of experimental measurements have been performed with a 2D-S probe mounted on a test bench. Measurements are performed using spinning glass discs with imprinted non-circular opaque particle shapes.

Aerosols of the volcanic degassing plumes from Mt. Etna and Mt. Stromboli were probed with in situ instruments on board the Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt research aircraft Falcon during the contrail, volcano, and cirrus experiment CONCERT in September 2011. Aerosol properties were analyzed using angular-scattering intensities and particle size distributions measured simultaneously with the Polar Nephelometer and the Forward Scattering Spectrometer probes (FSSP series 100 and 300), respectively. Aerosols of degassing plumes are characterized by low values of the asymmetry parameter (between 0.6 and 0.75); the effective diameter was within the range of 1.5–2.8 µm and the maximal diameter was lower than 20 µm. A principal component analysis applied to the Polar Nephelometer data indicates that scattering features of volcanic aerosols of different crater origins are clearly distinctive from angular-scattering intensities of cirrus and contrails. Retrievals of aerosol properties revealed that the particles were "optically spherical" and the estimated values of the real part of the refractive index are within the interval from 1.35 to 1.38. The interpretation of these results leads to the conclusion that the degassing plume aerosols were porous with air voids. Our estimates suggest that aerosol particles contained about 18 to 35 % of air voids in terms of the total volume.

Clouds have an important role in Earth's radiative budget. Since the late 1970s, considerable instrumental developments have been made in order to quantify cloud microphysical and optical properties, for both airborne and ground-based applications. Intercomparison studies have been carried out in the past to assess the reliability of cloud microphysical properties inferred from various measurement techniques. However, observational uncertainties still exist, especially for droplet size distribution measurements and need to be reduced. In this work, we discuss results from an intercomparison campaign, performed at the Puy de Dôme in May 2013. During this campaign, a unique set of cloud instruments was operating simultaneously in ambient air conditions and in a wind tunnel. A Particle Volume Monitor (PVM-100), a Forward Scattering Spectrometer Probe (FSSP), a Fog Monitor (FM-100), and a Present Weather Detector (PWD) were sampling on the roof of the station. Within a wind tunnel located underneath the roof, two Cloud Droplet Probes (CDPs) and a modified FSSP (SPP-100) were operating. The main objectives of this paper are (1) to study the effects of wind direction and speed on ground-based cloud observations, (2) to quantify the cloud parameters discrepancies observed by the different instruments, and (3) to develop methods to improve the quantification of the measurements. The results revealed that all instruments showed a good agreement in their sizing abilities, both in terms of amplitude and variability. However, some of them, especially the FM-100, the FSSP and the SPP, displayed large discrepancies in their capability to assess the magnitude of the total number concentration of the cloud droplets. As a result, the total liquid water content can differ by up to a factor of 5 between the probes. The use of a standardization procedure, based on data of integrating probes (PVM-100 or visibilimeter) and extinction coefficient comparison substantially enhanced the instrumental agreement. During this experiment, the total concentration agreed in variations with the visibilimeter, except for the FSSP, so a corrective factor can be applied and it ranges from 0.44 to 2.2. This intercomparison study highlights the necessity to have an instrument which provides a bulk measurement of cloud microphysical or optical properties during cloud ground-based campaigns. Moreover, the FM and FSSP orientation was modified with an angle ranging from 30 to 90° angle with wind speeds from 3 to 7 m s−1. The results show that the induced number concentration loss is between 29 and 98 % for the FSSP and between 15 and 68 % for the FM-100. In particular, FSSP experiments showed strong discrepancies when the wind speed was lower than 3 m s−1 and/or when the angle between the wind direction and the orientation of the instruments is greater than 30°. An inadequate orientation of the FSSP towards the wind direction leads to an underestimation of the measured effective diameter.

Two complementary case studies are conducted to analyse convective system properties in the region where strong cloud-top lidar backscatter anomalies are observed as reported by Platt et al. (2011). These anomalies were reported for the first time using in situ microphysical measurements in an isolated continental convective cloud over Germany during the CIRCLE2 experiment (Gayet et al., 2012). In this case, in situ observations quasi-collocated with CALIPSO (Cloud Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation), CloudSat and Meteosat-9/SEVIRI observations confirm that regions of backscatter anomalies represent the most active and dense convective cloud parts with likely the strongest core updrafts and unusually high values of the particle concentration, extinction and ice water content (IWC), with the occurrence of small ice crystal sizes. Similar spaceborne observations of a maritime mesoscale cloud system (MCS) located off the Brazilian coast between 0° and 3° N latitude on 20 June 2008 are then analysed. Near cloud-top backscatter anomalies are evidenced in a region which corresponds to the coldest temperatures with maximum cloud top altitudes derived from collocated CALIPSO/IIR and Meteosat-9/SEVIRI infrared brightness temperatures. The interpretation of CALIOP (Cloud Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization) data highlights significant differences in microphysical properties from those observed in the continental isolated convective cloud. Indeed, SEVIRI (Spinning Enhanced Visible and InfraRed Imager) retrievals in the visible spectrum confirm much smaller ice particles near the top of the isolated continental convective cloud, i.e. effective radius (Reff) ~ 15 μm as opposed to 22–27 μm in the whole MCS area. Cloud profiling observations at 94 GHz from CloudSat are then used to describe the properties of the most active cloud regions at and below cloud top. The cloud ice-water content and effective radius retrieved with the CloudSat 2B-IWC and DARDAR (raDAR/liDAR) inversion techniques, show that at usual cruise altitudes of commercial aircraft (FL 350 or ~ 10 700 m level), high IWC (i.e. up to 2 to 4 g m−3) could be identified according to specific IWC–Z (Z being the reflectivity factor) relationships. These values correspond to a maximum reflectivity factor of +18 dBZ (at 94 GHz). Near-top cloud properties also indicate signatures of microphysical characteristics according to the cloud-stage evolution as revealed by SEVIRI images to identify the development of new cells within the MCS cluster. It is argued that the availability of real-time information (on the kilometre-scale) about cloud top IR brightness temperature decreases with respect to the cloud environment would help identify MCS cloud areas with potentially high ice water content and small particle sizes against which onboard meteorological radars may not be able to provide timely warning.

In-situ Polar Nephelometer (PN) measurements of unusual ice crystal scattering phase functions, obtained near the cloud-top of a mid-latitude anvil cloud, at a temperature of about −58 °C, were recently reported by Gayet et al. (2012). The ice crystal habits that produced the phase functions consisted of aggregates of ice crystals and aggregates of quasi-spherical ice particles. The diameters of the individual quasi-spherical ice particles were estimated to be between about 15 μm and 20 μm. The measured-averaged scattering phase functions were featureless, at scattering angles less than about 100°, but an ice bow-like feature was noted between the scattering angles of about 120° to 160°. The estimated asymmetry parameter was 0.78 ± 0.04. In this paper, the averaged scattering phase function is interpreted in terms of a weighted habit mixture model. The model that provides the best overall fit to the measured scattering phase function comprises of highly distorted ten-element hexagonal ice aggregates and quasi-spherical ice particles. The smaller quasi-spherical ice crystals are represented by Chebyshev ice particles of order 3, and were assumed to have equivalent spherical diameters of 24 μm. The asymmetry parameter of the best overall model was found to be 0.79. It is argued that the Chebyshev-like ice particles are responsible for the ice bow-like feature and mostly dominate the scattered intensity measured by the PN. The results from this paper have important implications for climate modelling (energy balance of anvils), cloud physics and the remote sensing of cirrus properties.

In this paper, we show that in mixed phase clouds, the presence of ice crystals may induce wrong FSSP 100 measurements interpretation especially in terms of particle size and subsequent bulk parameters. The presence of ice crystals is generally revealed by a bimodal feature of the particle size distribution (PSD). The combined measurements of the FSSP-100 and the Polar Nephelometer give a coherent description of the effect of the ice crystals on the FSSP-100 response. The FSSP-100 particle size distributions are characterized by a bimodal shape with a second mode peaked between 25 and 35 μm related to ice crystals. This feature is observed with the FSSP-100 at airspeed up to 200 m s−1 and with the FSSP-300 series. In order to assess the size calibration for clouds of ice crystals the response of the FSSP-100 probe has been numerically simulated using a light scattering model of randomly oriented hexagonal ice particles and assuming both smooth and rough crystal surfaces. The results suggest that the second mode, measured between 25 μm and 35 μm, does not necessarily represent true size responses but corresponds to bigger aspherical ice particles. According to simulation results, the sizing understatement would be neglected in the rough case but would be significant with the smooth case. Qualitatively, the Polar Nephelometer phase function suggests that the rough case is the more suitable to describe real crystals. Quantitatively, however, it is difficult to conclude. A review is made to explore different hypotheses explaining the occurrence of the second mode. However, previous cloud in situ measurements suggest that the FSSP-100 secondary mode, peaked in the range 25–35 μm, is likely to be due to the shattering of large ice crystals on the probe inlet. This finding is supported by the rather good relationship between the concentration of particles larger than 20 μm (hypothesized to be ice shattered-fragments measured by the FSSP) and the concentration of (natural) ice particles (CPI data). In mixed cloud, a simple estimation of the number of ice crystals impacting the FSSP inlet shows that the ice crystal shattering effect is the main factor in observed ice production.

A contrail from a large-body A380 aircraft at cruise in the humid upper troposphere has been probed with in-situ instruments onboard the DLR research aircraft Falcon. The contrail was sampled during 700 s measurement time at contrail ages of about 1–4 min. The contrail was in the vortex regime during which the primary wake vortices were sinking 270 m below the A380 flight level while the secondary wake remained above. Contrail properties were sampled separately in the primary wake at 90 and 115 s contrail age and nearly continously in the secondary wake at contrail ages from 70 s to 220 s. The scattering phase functions of the contrail particles were measured with a polar nephelometer. The asymmetry parameter derived from these data is used to distinguish between quasi-spherical and aspherical ice particles. In the primary wake, quasi-spherical ice particles were found with concentrations up to 160 cm−3, mean effective diameter Deff of 3.7 μm, maximum extinction of 7.0 km−1, and ice water content (IWC) of 3 mg m−3 at slightly ice-subsaturated conditions. The secondary and primary wakes were separated by an almost particle-free wake vortex gap. The secondary wake contained clearly aspherical contrail ice particles with mean Deff of 4.8 μm, mean (maximum) concentration, extinction, and IWC of 80 (350) cm−3, 1.6 (5.0) km−1, and 2.5 (10) mg m−3, respectively, at conditions apparently above ice-saturation. The asymmetry parameter in the secondary wake decreased with contrail age from 0.87 to 0.80 on average indicating a preferential aspherical ice crystal growth. A retrieval of ice particle habit and size with an inversion code shows that the number fraction of aspherical ice crystals increased from 2% initially to 56% at 4 min contrail age. The observed crystal size and habit differences in the primary and secondary wakes of an up to 4 min old contrail are of interest for understanding ice crystal growth in contrails and their climate impact. Aspherical contrail ice particles cause less radiative forcing than spherical ones.

During the CIRCLE-2 experiment carried out over Western Europe in May 2007, combined in situ and remote sensing observations allowed to describe microphysical and optical properties near-top of an overshooting convective cloud (11 080 m/−58 °C). The airborne measurements were performed with the DLR Falcon aircraft specially equipped with a unique set of instruments for the extensive in situ cloud measurements of microphysical and optical properties (Polar Nephelometer, FSSP-300, Cloud Particle Imager and PMS 2-D-C) and nadir looking remote sensing observations (DLR WALES Lidar). Quasi-simultaneous space observations from MSG/SEVIRI, CALIPSO/CALIOP-WFC-IIR and CloudSat/CPR combined with airborne RASTA radar reflectivity from the French Falcon aircraft flying above the DLR Falcon depict very well convective cells which overshoot by up to 600 m the tropopause level. Unusual high values of the concentration of small ice particles, extinction, ice water content (up to 70 cm−3, 30 km−1 and 0.5 g m−3, respectively) are experienced. The mean effective diameter and the maximum particle size are 43 μm and about 300 μm, respectively. This very dense cloud causes a strong attenuation of the WALES and CALIOP lidar returns. The SEVIRI retrieved parameters confirm the occurrence of small ice crystals at the top of the convective cell. Smooth and featureless phase functions with asymmetry factors of 0.776 indicate fairly uniform optical properties. Due to small ice crystals the power-law relationship between ice water content (IWC) and radar reflectivity appears to be very different from those usually found in cirrus and anvil clouds. For a given equivalent reflectivity factor, IWCs are significantly larger for the overshooting cell than for the cirrus. Assuming the same prevalent microphysical properties over the depth of the overshooting cell, RASTA reflectivity profiles scaled into ice water content show that retrieved IWC up to 1 g m−3 may be observed near the cloud top. Extrapolating the relationship for stronger convective clouds with similar ice particles, IWC up to 5 g m−3 could be experienced with reflectivity factors no larger than about 20 dBZ. This means that for similar situations, indication of rather weak radar echo does not necessarily warn the occurrence of high ice water content carried by small ice crystals. All along the cloud penetration the shape of the ice crystals is dominated by chain-like aggregates of frozen droplets. Our results confirm previous observations that the chains of ice crystals are found in a continental deep convective systems which are known generally to generate intense electric fields causing efficient ice particle aggregation processes. Vigorous updrafts could lift supercooled droplets which are frozen extremely rapidly by homogeneous nucleation near the −37 °C level, producing therefore high concentrations of very small ice particles at upper altitudes. They are sufficient to deplete the water vapour and suppress further nucleation as confirmed by humidity measurements. These observations address scientific issues related to the microphysical properties and structure of deep convective clouds and confirm that particles smaller than 50 μm may control the radiative properties in convective-related clouds. These unusual observations may also provide some possible insights regarding engineering issues related to the failure of jet engines commonly used on commercial aircraft during flights through areas of high ice water content. However, large uncertainties of the measured and derived parameters limit our observations.

In this paper, we describe in situ observations of mid-latitude cirrus cloud band carried out on 16 May 2007 during the CIRCLE-2 experiment. The Polar Nephelometer and the Cloud Particle Imager (CPI) instruments with PMS FSSP-300 and 2D-C probes were used for the description of the optical and microphysical cloud properties. Two selected cloud regions are compared and discussed in detail. Significant differences in optical properties are evidenced in terms of 22° halo occurrences even though prevalent planar-plate ice crystals are observed in both cloud regions. Featureless scattering phase functions are measured in the first cloud region located near the trailing edge of the cirrus-band at about 11 800 m/−57 °C. In contrast, well pronounced 22° halo peaks are observed with predominant similar-shaped ice crystals near the cirrus-band leading edge at 7100 m/−27 °C. CPI ice crystal images with Polar Nephelometer observations are carefully analysed and interpreted from a theoretical light scattering model in order to explain occurrence and non-occurrence of the 22° halo feature. The results highlight that the halo peaks are inherent only in perfect plate ice crystals (or pristine crystals). On the basis of previous datasets in mid-latitude cirrus, it is found that simple pristine crystals are uncommon whereas particles with imperfect or complex shapes are prevalent. As a result, phase functions that are smooth and featureless best represent cirrus scattering properties.

During the Arctic Study of Tropospheric Aerosol, Clouds and Radiation (ASTAR) campaign, which was conducted in March and April 2007, an optically thin ice cloud was observed south of Svalbard at around 3 km altitude. The microphysical and radiative properties of this particular subvisible midlevel cloud were investigated with complementary remote sensing and in situ instruments. Collocated airborne lidar remote sensing and spectral solar radiation measurements were performed at a flight altitude of 2300 m below the cloud base. Under almost stationary atmospheric conditions, the same subvisible midlevel cloud was probed with various in situ sensors roughly 30 min later. From individual ice crystal samples detected with the Cloud Particle Imager and the ensemble of particles measured with the Polar Nephelometer, microphysical properties were retrieved with a bi-modal inversion algorithm. The best agreement with the measurements was obtained for small ice spheres and deeply rough hexagonal ice crystals. Furthermore, the single-scattering albedo, the scattering phase function as well as the volume extinction coefficient and the effective diameter of the crystal population were determined. A lidar ratio of 21(±6) sr was deduced by three independent methods. These parameters in conjunction with the cloud optical thickness obtained from the lidar measurements were used to compute spectral and broadband radiances and irradiances with a radiative transfer code. The simulated results agreed with the observed spectral downwelling radiance within the range given by the measurement uncertainty. Furthermore, the broadband radiative simulations estimated a net (solar plus thermal infrared) radiative forcing of the subvisible midlevel ice cloud of −0.4 W m−2 (−3.2 W m−2 in the solar and +2.8 W m−2 in the thermal infrared wavelength range).

During the international ASTAR experiment (Arctic Study of Aerosols, Clouds and Radiation) carried out from Longyearbyen (Spitsbergen) from 10 May to 11 June 2004, the AWI (Alfred Wegener Institute) Polar 2 aircraft was equipped with a unique combination of remote and in situ instruments. The airborne AMALi lidar provided downward backscatter and Depolarisation ratio profiles at 532 nm wavelength. The in situ instrumental setup comprised a Polar Nephelometer, a Cloud Particle Imager (CPI) as well as a Nevzorov and standard PMS probes to measure cloud particle properties in terms of scattering characteristics, particle morphology and size, and in-cloud partitioning of ice/water content. The objective of the paper is to present the results of a case study related to observations with ice crystals precipitating down to supercooled boundary-layer stratocumulus. The flight pattern was predefined in a way that firstly the AMALi lidar probed the cloud tops to guide the in situ measurements into a particular cloud formation. Three kinds of clouds with different microphysical and optical properties have therefore been quasi-simultaneously observed: (i) water droplets stratiform-layer, (ii) drizzle-drops fallstreak and (iii) precipitating ice-crystals from a cirrus cloud above. The signatures of these clouds are clearly evidenced from the in situ measurements and from the lidar profiles in term of backscatter and Depolarisation ratio. Accordingly, typical lidar ratios, i.e., extinction-to-backscatter ratios, are derived from the measured scattering phase function combined with subsequent particle shapes and size distributions. The backscatter profiles can therefore be retrieved under favourable conditions of low optical density. From these profiles extinction values in different cloud types can be obtained and compared with the direct in situ measurements.