6. Conclusion

Lidar observation is an effective way of monitoring aerosols in the atmospheric column, whether for climate or air quality applications. It enables measurements to be taken with vertical and temporal resolutions tailored to the needs of modelling, particularly for forecasting extreme events. At present, there is no operational network to speak of. Most of the networks deployed are managed by research laboratories. Nevertheless, the ACTRIS initiative should enable Europe to set up a network that can be used operationally. At present, the network is more focused on climatological aspects and trend studies.

From an instrumental point of view, progress needs to be made on the technologies used, and more particularly on the reliability of laser sources. Operational lidars must be able to operate continuously, with annual maintenance that does not require the instrument...