Optical characteristics of contrails according to polarization lidar sensing data

In the present report, results of the experiment on polarization laser sensing of contrails performed for one and a half days are discussed. The altitudes of boundaries of the aerosol layers, their backscattering matrices, optical thicknesses, and scattering ratios are determined. The vertical profiles of lidar returns are analyzed. The results are compared with the meteorological data at the altitudes of formation of high-level clouds.