Light scattering matrix for atmospheric ice aggregates of cirrus clouds within geometrical optics approximation

This work presents the results of calculation and analysis of the light scattering matrix for aggregates of atmospheric hexagonal ice particles, which are occurred in cirrus clouds. The two types of base particle shape for aggregates were considered: hexagonal column and hexagonal plate. For both shapes the two types of arrangement of particles in aggregates were chosen: compact and non-compact. As the result the 4 sets of aggregates were built: 1) compact hexagonal columns, 2) non-compact hexagonal columns, 3) compact hexagonal plates, and 4) non-compact hexagonal plate. Each set consist of 9 aggregates distinguished by number of particles (1-9) in them, and particles in every single aggregate are with the same shape and size but with different spatial orientation. The calculations of light scattering matrices for all (36 in total) aggregates were performed for the case of arbitrary orientation within the geometric optics approximation. Dependences of the first matrix element on number of particles in aggregate, with different types of arrangement of particles, and for two types of shapes are presented.