This monograph undertakes to present systematically the methods for
solving inverse problems of lidar sensing of the atmosphere, with
emphasis on lidar techniques that are based on the use of light
scattering by aerosols. The theory of multi-frequency lidar sensing, as
a new method for studying the microphysical and optical characteristics
of aerosol formations, is also pre- sented in detail. The possibilities
of this theory are illustrated by the experimental results on
microstructure analysis of tropospheric and low stratospheric aerosols
obtained with ground-based two- and three-frequency lidars. The lidar
facilities used in these experimental studies were construc- ted at the
Institute of Atmospheric Optics S8 USSR Academy of Sciences. Some
aspects of remote control of dispersed air pollution using lidar systems
are also considered. A rigorous theory for inverting the data of
polarization lidar measure- ments is discussed, along with its
application to remote measurement of the complex index of refraction of
aerosol substances and the microstructure pa- rameters of background
aerosols using double-ended lidar schemes. Solutions to such important
problems as the separation of contributions due to Rayleigh- molecular
and Mie-aerosol light scattering into the total backscatter are ob-
tained by using this theory. Lidar polarization measurements are shown
to be useful in this case. The efficiency of the methods suggested here
for inter- preting the lidar polarization measurements is illustrated by
experimental results on the investigation of the microphysical
parameters of natural aero- sols and artificial smokes using
polarization nephelometers.