Limitations on retrieval of complex refractive index of spherical particles from scattering measurements

On the base of a lookup table approach we performed sensitivity tests of dual-polarization polar nephelometer (D2PN) data to optical and microphysical parameters of ensembles of spherical particles. Measurement errors were modeled as Gaussian random variables. It is shown that D2PN data enable to retrieve some microphysical parameters (depending on the case) along with the assessment of the complex refractive index. In the case of the low absorbing particles, measurement errors substantially reduce the sensitivity to the imaginary part of the refractive index and only the range of the imaginary part can be estimated, whereas the real part of the refractive index and the microphysical parameters can be retrieved. When the absorption of spherical particles is moderate, i.e., 10−4⩽χ⩽0.5, the real n and imaginary χ parts of the refractive index can be deduced along with the microphysical parameters. In the case when the absorption of spherical particles is high, only the microphysical characteristics and the imaginary part can be retrieved. These limitations on retrieval should be valid for data of other instruments measuring the same magnitudes as D2PN with the same errors, at least for aerosols made of spherical particles.