In a significant technological breakthrough, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully developed India's first indigenous aerosol lidar system. This advanced technology, developed by the Dehradun-based Instruments Research and Development Establishment (IRDE), a unit of DRDO, is designed to enhance climate monitoring and improve air pollution detection.

The aerosol lidar system uses light detection and ranging (LIDAR) technology to remotely analyse atmospheric aerosols, providing critical data on their concentration, distribution, and properties. This information is crucial for understanding the impact of aerosols on climate and air quality.

India, currently the third most polluted country globally, has long needed advanced tools to track aerosols and atmospheric changes.

The new aerosol lidar will bridge this gap by enabling the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) to study the vertical distribution of aerosols and clouds. The system was officially handed over to IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra by DRDO's Director General of Electronics and Communication Systems, Binay Kumar Das, marking a significant step toward self-reliance in advanced environmental monitoring.

The aerosol lidar integrates Mie, depolarisation, and Raman channels, featuring a high-energy fixed laser wavelength and a large-aperture receiver telescope. It is designed for vertical profiling of atmospheric parameters, allowing the analysis of aerosols and clouds up to 20 km in altitude.

The Raman channel provides data on the water vapour mixing ratio up to 5 km. This system delivers crucial information on aerosol concentration, cloud properties, and water vapour distribution, which are essential for weather and rainfall predictions, as well as detecting ice crystal clouds at high altitudes for lightning forecasting.

Until now, India's air quality monitoring has relied mainly on surface sensors and satellite observations. While IMD operates a sky radiometer network to measure the overall aerosol load, it lacked detailed data on vertical distribution, making it challenging to assess radiative forcing accurately—a key component in climate change research.

With the aerosol lidar, IMD will now have access to high-resolution, real-time vertical data, strengthening its position in atmospheric research and contributing to better environmental strategies. 

Furthermore, this indigenous technology will eliminate India's reliance on expensive imported lidar systems, as it is priced at ₹1.25 crore and weighs approximately 270 kg, compared to the more expensive and heavier systems from international manufacturers.

Agencies