A Graphical Technique for Retrieving Size Distribution Parameters from Multiple Measurements: Visualization and Error Analysis

Abstract

A graphical method is presented for using a set of multiple measurements to retrieve size distribution parameters for multisized scatterers/absorbers suspended in a propagation medium. It permits one to visualize fundamental limitations of the measurement set and to quantify the effects of measurement errors on the accuracy of the retrievals. Multiple wavelength optical measurements of stratospheric aerosols illustrate that wide wavelength spacing and low measurement errors are required to retrieve lognormal size distribution parameters using either backscatter or extinction and that retrieval accuracy likely will not be high in practice.