Validation of the Analytical Model of Oceanic Lidar Returns: Comparisons with Monte Carlo Simulations and Experimental Results

Abstract

The analytical model based on the quasi-single small-angle scattering approximation can efficiently simulate oceanic lidar signals with multiple scattering; thus, its accuracy is of particular interest to scientists. In this paper, the model is modified to include refraction at oblique incidence and is then compared with Monte Carlo (MC) simulations and experimental results. Under different conditions, the results calculated by the analytical model demonstrate good agreement with the MC simulation and experimental data. The coefficient of determination R2 considering the logarithm of signals and the root mean square of the relative difference δ are R2 = 0.998 and δ = 10% in comparison with the semi-analytic MC simulation and R2 = 0.952 and δ = 46% for the lidar experiment. Thus, the results demonstrate the validity of the analytical model in the simulation of oceanic lidar signals.