Title: Atmospheric aerosol optical property retrieval with scanning polarimeters Abstract: In the last decade, climate models have become increasingly accurate. Simulation of the atmospheric aerosol component of climate models, however, remains highly uncertain. This is largely due to the difficulty of consistent observation of all the aerosol optical parameters required for climate modeling. This, in turn, is primarily because the retrieval of these parameters is often underdetermined, and because the aerosol optical signal is difficult to separate from other signals, such as surface reflection. However, a new class of instruments, called scanning polarimeters, have the potential to improve aerosol optical property retrieval. These instruments use multiple angles, spectral bands, and polarization states to provide measurements with maximized information content that can differentiate aerosols from other scatterers. This research is an investigation of the aerosol retrieving potential of scanning polarimeters, using data collected by the Research Scanning Polarimeter (RSP). The RSP is the airborne prototype of the Aerosol Polarimetry Sensor (APS), soon to be launched into orbit as part of the NASA Glory orbital mission. Field campaign data have already been used to verify the capability of RSP (and APS) to retrieve aerosol properties in cloudless areas over the ocean and land. Here I have continued that work, and investigated the potential for aerosol property retrieval <b>...</b>