Polarized ocean Scheimpflug lidar for polarization features measurement of suspended particles in water bodies

^(a) Sanya Oceanographic Institution, Ocean University of China, Sanya, 572000, China
^(b) College of Marine Technology, Faculty of Information Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China
^(c) Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao, 266200, China
^(d) Institute for Advanced Ocean Study, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266200, China Lead Author e-mail address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published online: 9 April 2026

Abstract

Polarized multi-wavelength ocean lidar offers an efficient means of characterizing the size, shape, and concentration of suspended particulate matter in water, thereby playing a pivotal role in comprehending the dynamics of such particles. This paper introduces an optical approach aimed at capturing information encoded in the polarization of the lidar signal, employing polarization angles of 0°, 45°, 90°, and 135°, to analyze suspended particles. A laboratory demonstration utilizing polarized ocean Scheimpflug lidar is presented herein. Experimental findings involving spherical or irregular silicon dioxide particles demonstrate the efficacy of distinguishing between them by analyzing the polarization characteristics of the backward-scattered light. The study involves the measurement of typical suspended particles with varying shapes and the subsequent comparison of their polarization characteristics in Stokes method to validate the proposed approach. The versatility of the laboratory system suggests its potential applicability as a shipborne ocean lidar or even when integrated into submersibles.