Horizontally Oriented Ice Crystals Observed with the Combination of Zenith and 15-degree off-Zenith pointing Polarization Lidar over Beijing (116.3°E 40.0°N), China

Key Points

• The research aims to investigate the characteristics and prevalence of horizontally oriented ice crystals in clouds.
• Employed a combination of zenith-pointing and slant-pointing polarization lidar.
• Conducted observations in Beijing during the year 2022.
• Analyzed the proportion of horizontally oriented ice crystals in ice-containing clouds.
• Found that horizontally oriented ice crystals account for approximately 7.3% of total ice-containing clouds.
• Identified unique optical properties associated with these ice crystals.
• Results may inform climate models through improved parameterization schemes.