In an important technological breakthrough, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully developed India’s first indigenous aerosol lidar, aiding climate monitoring and improving air pollution detection. Aerosol lidar systems use light detection and ranging (lidar) technology to remotely analyse atmospheric aerosols, providing critical data on their concentration, distribution, and properties, which is essential for understanding their impact on climate and air quality. Developed by the Dehradun-based Instruments Research and Development Establishment (IRDE), a DRDO unit, this aerosol lidar is the second of its kind globally. It serves as a key import substitute, being more affordable and compact.

India, the third most polluted country in the world, has long required advanced technology to track aerosols, air pollutants and atmospheric changes. The newly introduced aerosol lidar will bridge this gap by enabling the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) to study the vertical distribution of aerosols and clouds. On Wednesday, DRDO’s Director General of Electronics and Communication Systems, Binay Kumar Das, officially handed over the state-of-the-art system to IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, marking a key step toward self-reliance in advanced environmental monitoring.

"These lidars will help in weather monitoring, forecasting, atmospheric research, climate change assessments and pollution control mechanisms. The first lidar is being installed at IMD observatory, Ranichauri in Uttarakhand," stated Mohapatra.

The newly developed aerosol lidar integrates Mie, depolarisation and Raman channels, featuring a high-energy fixed laser wavelength and a large-aperture receiver telescope. This system is designed for vertical profiling of atmospheric parameters. The Mie and depolarisation channels can analyse aerosols and clouds by determining their altitude, shape, and optical properties up to 20 km. Meanwhile, the Raman channel provides data on the water vapour mixing ratio up to 5 km.

This lidar system delivers crucial information on aerosol concentration at various altitudes, cloud properties, and water vapour distribution. These insights are essential for weather and rainfall predictions and detecting ice crystal clouds at high altitudes, which can aid in lightning forecasting. India's air quality monitoring has depended mainly on surface sensors and satellite observations. While the IMD operates a sky radiometer network to measure the overall aerosol load, it lacks detailed data on vertical distribution. This gap made it difficult to assess radiative forcing precisely, a crucial factor in climate change research.

"With aerosol lidar, IMD will now have access to high-resolution, real-time vertical data. Its deployment will strengthen our position in atmospheric research and contribute to better environmental strategies. It will also eliminate India's reliance on expensive imported lidar technology," expressed Das.

The aerosol lidar is priced at ₹1.25 crore and weighs approximately 270 kg, whereas the atmospheric lidar produced by Athens-based Raymetrics weighs 400 kg and costs ₹5.5 crore. IRDE Director Ajay Kumar and senior officials from the IMD and the Ministry of Earth Sciences attended the event.