News 20.7.2021

New model for the ice crystal surfaces is a step forward to calculate light scattering of cirrus clouds

Researchers have calculated light scattering on ice crystal surfaces. Calculations apply a new model of fractal roughness elements on ice crystal surfaces.
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The new model is able to take into account surface-roughness of less than a micrometre on the ice crystal surfaces. Small-scale surface-roughness has a significant effect on the light scattering of the cirrus clouds, which is an important factor in climate models.

More information:

Group Leader Elina Riskilä, elina.riskila@fmi.fi

Group Leader Hannakaisa Lindqvist, hannakaisa.lindqvist@fmi.fi

Riskilä, E., Lindqvist, H., & Muinonen, K.: Light scattering by fractal roughness elements on ice crystal surfaces, Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer, 267, 107561, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jqsrt.2021.107561

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