Optical properties of nonspherical atmospheric particles and relevant applications

Recent progress in the study of the single-scattering properties of nonspherical ice crystals within cirrus clouds and nonspherical dust particles is reviewed. We have been using the finite-difference time domain (FDTD) method, the discrete dipole approximation (DDA), and an improved geometric optics method (IGOM) to compute the single-scattering properties of nonspherical particles. We have incorporated the so-called edge effect associated with the surface wave into the IGOM extinction and absorption efficiencies. The simulation results in the solar and thermal infrared spectral regimes are presented. Furthermore, the impacts of particle nonsphericity on downstream remote sensing implementations and radiative transfer simulations involving ice clouds and dust aerosols are also summarized.