Abstract

This paper reports the formulation of an algorithm based on the anomalous diffraction theory to infer the particle size distribution (PSD) from theoretical perspective, taking the effects of particle nonsphericity and orientation into account. Preliminary analysis of input parameters sensitivity of the analytical retrieval formulas of the different PSDs, it is found that there exist simple scale transformation relations between the retrieved and the true PSD for spheroids and triangular prisms if inappropriate shape and orientation assumption are made, but scale transformation relation is invalid for cubes, because the particle modes occur in retrieval procedure.

Key words: Particle size distribution, extinction spectrum, inversion, atmospheric particles.