Particle size distributions (PSDs) for cirrus clouds are important for both climate models and many remote sensing retrieval methods. It is necessary to parametrize PSDs for different cloud types.Arctic cirrus particle size distributions (PSD) are presented depending on the cloud origin, either in situ or liquid. The data set used originate from balloon-borne measurements above Kiruna (north of Sweden, 67.8N, 20.4E) during winter. The observed PSDs are represented by gamma functions. The gamma coefficients exhibit large differences with regard to cloud origin. Thus, two new PSD parametrizations for Arctic cirrus of in situ and liquid origin are presented. These functions for Arctic cirrus confirm established parametrizations for continental cirrus sorted by two particle size modes, but differ from others depending only on temperature. We suppose that the agreement between the parametrizations of the geographically different cirrus is because in situ and liquid origin cirrus also distinguish by particle size modes. Since cloud sorting by their origin is based on physical processes which are independent of geographical region, we further hypothesise that these cloud-type-based parametrizations might be generally valid for use in global models and satellite retrievals, given the distribution of the cloud types is known.The dataset consists primarily of measured particle size distributions (PSD).Then, coefficients of the fitted gamma functions are reported.Also, PSD data calculated from the new parametrizations at various temperatures are provided for typical conditions.

Storleksfördelningar (PSD) av arktiska cirrusmoln är presenterade tillsammans med gamma-funktioner som bäst beskriver dessa PSD. Nya parametriseringar är framtagna av resultaten. Cirrusmätningar har genomförts i Kiruna, norra Sverige (67.8N, 20.4E).