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.
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.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
15 Sep 2026
Research article |
| 15 Sep 2026
| 15 Sep 2026
Measuring cloud optical depth with a balloonborne microlidar operated from the stratosphere
François Ravetta
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
LATMOS/IPSL, Sorbonne Université, UVSQ, CNRS, Paris, France
Thomas Lesigne
LATMOS/IPSL, Sorbonne Université, UVSQ, CNRS, Paris, France
Vincent Mariage
LATMOS/IPSL, Sorbonne Université, UVSQ, CNRS, Paris, France
Jacques Pelon
LATMOS/IPSL, Sorbonne Université, UVSQ, CNRS, Paris, France
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Atmospheric models struggle to reproduce the strong temperature inversions in the vicinity of the surface over forested areas in the Arctic winter. In this paper, we develop modified simplified versions of surface layer schemes widely used by the community. Our modifications are used to correct the fact that original schemes place strong limits on the turbulent collapse, leading to a lower surface temperature gradient at low wind speeds. Modified versions show a better performance.
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Raphaël Lebrun, Yevgeny Derimian, François Ravetta, Jérôme Bureau, and Sergey Khaykin
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Fueled by climate change, some recent extreme wildfires have been observed to inject unprecedented levels of aerosols in the stratosphere. Partly composed of carbon, these aerosols absorb solar light and change the energy balance of the atmosphere. Using observations and radiative modeling, we show the stratospheric aerosols from the 2020 Australian wildfire have warmed the atmosphere by 0.08 to 0.19 W.m−2 globally over a year, as they tend to reduce the albedo effect of underlying clouds.
Gérard Ancellet, Camille Viatte, Anne Boynard, François Ravetta, Jacques Pelon, Cristelle Cailteau-Fischbach, Pascal Genau, Julie Capo, Axel Roy, and Philippe Nédélec
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 12963–12983, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12963-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12963-2024, 2024
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Characterization of ozone pollution in urban areas benefited from a measurement campaign in summer 2022 in the Paris region. The analysis is based on 21 d of lidar and aircraft observations. The main objective is an analysis of the sensitivity of ozone pollution to the micrometeorological processes in the urban atmospheric boundary layer and the transport of regional pollution. The paper also discusses to what extent satellite observations can track observed ozone plumes.
Thomas Lesigne, François Ravetta, Aurélien Podglajen, Vincent Mariage, and Jacques Pelon
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5935–5952, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5935-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5935-2024, 2024
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Upper tropical clouds have a strong impact on Earth's climate but are challenging to observe. We report the first long-duration observations of tropical clouds from lidars flying on board stratospheric balloons. Comparisons with spaceborne observations reveal the enhanced sensitivity of balloon-borne lidar to optically thin cirrus. These clouds, which have a significant coverage and lie in the uppermost troposphere, are linked with the dehydration of air masses on their way to the stratosphere.
Julia Maillard, Jean-Christophe Raut, and François Ravetta
Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 3303–3320, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-3303-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-3303-2024, 2024
Short summary
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Atmospheric models struggle to reproduce the strong temperature inversions in the vicinity of the surface over forested areas in the Arctic winter. In this paper, we develop modified simplified versions of surface layer schemes widely used by the community. Our modifications are used to correct the fact that original schemes place strong limits on the turbulent collapse, leading to a lower surface temperature gradient at low wind speeds. Modified versions show a better performance.
Meryl Wimmer, Gwendal Rivière, Philippe Arbogast, Jean-Marcel Piriou, Julien Delanoë, Carole Labadie, Quitterie Cazenave, and Jacques Pelon
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The effect of deep convection representation on the jet stream above the cold front of an extratropical cyclone is investigated in the global numerical weather prediction model ARPEGE. Two simulations using different deep convection schemes are compared with (re)analysis datasets and NAWDEX airborne observations. A deeper jet stream is observed with the less active scheme. The diabatic origin of this difference is interpreted by backward Lagrangian trajectories and potential vorticity budgets.
Thibault Vaillant de Guélis, Gérard Ancellet, Anne Garnier, Laurent C.-Labonnote, Jacques Pelon, Mark A. Vaughan, Zhaoyan Liu, and David M. Winker
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 1931–1956, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-1931-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-1931-2022, 2022
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A new IIR-based cloud and aerosol discrimination (CAD) algorithm is developed using the IIR brightness temperature differences for cloud and aerosol features confidently identified by the CALIOP version 4 CAD algorithm. IIR classifications agree with the majority of V4 cloud identifications, reduce the ambiguity in a notable fraction of
not confidentV4 cloud classifications, and correct a few V4 misclassifications of cloud layers identified as dense dust or elevated smoke layers by CALIOP.
Lilian Loyer, Jean-Christophe Raut, Claudia Di Biagio, Julia Maillard, Vincent Mariage, and Jacques Pelon
Atmos. Meas. Tech. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2021-326, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2021-326, 2021
Revised manuscript not accepted
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The Arctic is facing drastic climate changes, and more observations are needed to better understand what is happening. Unfortunately observations are limited in the High Arctic. To obtain more observations, multiples buoys equipped with lidar, have been deployed in this region. This paper presents an approach to estimate the optical properties of clouds, and solar plus terrestrial energies from lidar measurements in the Arctic.
Gwendal Rivière, Meryl Wimmer, Philippe Arbogast, Jean-Marcel Piriou, Julien Delanoë, Carole Labadie, Quitterie Cazenave, and Jacques Pelon
Weather Clim. Dynam., 2, 1011–1031, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2-1011-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2-1011-2021, 2021
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Inacurracies in representing processes occurring at spatial scales smaller than the grid scales of the weather forecast models are important sources of forecast errors. This is the case of deep convection representation in models with 10 km grid spacing. We performed simulations of a real extratropical cyclone using a model with different representations of deep convection. These forecasts lead to different behaviors in the ascending air masses of the cyclone and the jet stream aloft.
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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.
The Balloonborne Cloud Observing micrOLidar (BeCOOL) is an airborne profiler designed to be...
