Measuring cloud optical depth with a balloonborne microlidar operated from the stratosphere

Ravetta, François; Lesigne, Thomas; Mariage, Vincent; Pelon, Jacques

doi:10.5194/amt-19-5831-2026

Articles | Volume 19, issue 18

https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-5831-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-5831-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 19, issue 18

Research article

|

15 Sep 2026

Research article |

| 15 Sep 2026

Measuring cloud optical depth with a balloonborne microlidar operated from the stratosphere

François Ravetta, Thomas Lesigne, Vincent Mariage, and Jacques Pelon

Data sets

CALIPSO Lidar Level 1B profile data, V4-11 NASA/LARC/SD/ASDC https://doi.org/10.5067/CALIOP/CALIPSO/CAL_LID_L1-Standard-V4-11

CALIPSO Lidar Level 2 5\,km Merged Layer, V4-21 NASA/LARC/SD/ASDC https://doi.org/10.5067/CALIOP/CALIPSO/CAL_LID_L2_05kmMLay-Standard-V4-21

Short summary

The Balloonborne Cloud Observing micrOLidar (BeCOOL) is an airborne profiler designed to be operated from the stratosphere. It weights less than 6 kg and requires on average less than 4 W to work automatically onboard a gondola attached below a stratospheric balloon. Given its sensitivity and spatial resolution, this microlidar can be used to characterize the optical properties and the life cycle of cirrus clouds, or to calibrate and validate satellite observations of clouds and aerosol layers.