Characterization of a cloud atmosphere using light backscattered at two angles

A system for characterizing a cloud atmosphere, the system comprising:

• an optical emitter configured to emit an optical beam into the cloud atmosphere;
• a first optical detector configured to detect a first portion of the optical beam backscattered by the cloud atmosphere at a first backscatter angle, wherein the first backscatter angle is defined as a first difference between a first principle emission direction and a principle detection direction;
• a second optical detector configured to detect a second portion of the optical beam backscattered by the cloud atmosphere at a second backscatter angle different from the first backscatter angle, wherein the second backscatter angle is defined as a second difference between the principle emission direction and a second principle detection direction, wherein a magnitude of a difference between the first and second backscatter angles is at least 3 degrees;
• and
• a cloud-characteristic calculator configured to calculate one or more cloud parameters of the cloud atmosphere based on the detected first and second portions.