Non-parametric estimation of particle size distribution from spectral extinction data with PCA approach

The selection principle of the optimal measurement wavelengths on the basis of PCA approach combined with Tikhonov regularization method can provide more useful spectral measurement signals to ensure retrieval accuracy in retrieving the PSDs. Even with 5% random measurement errors, the retrieval result is still acceptable. While studying measured PSDs, e.g. aerosol size distribution or cell size distribution of microalgae, the methodology mentioned in present study can also obtain satisfactory results, especially with larger number of subintervals of the particle size range and larger size of sample.143