Question: what is a atmospheric laser?

Beth Healey answered on 13 Oct 2015:

We have JP an atmospheric physicist working here at Concordia using LiDARS (light detection and ranging, i.e. atmospheric lasers). They are amazing to see as they shoot up all the way through the atmosphere, or at least up to the entire Stratosphere. They can be used to measure and monitor the atmospheric composition, including clouds and pollutants.

Here are some pictures of JP’s lasers here at Concordia which we took this winter 🙂

Dr Giampietro Cassasanta teaching me about #atmosphericphysics and #lidars @ItaliAntartide @esa @esaoperations pic.twitter.com/8QjdGditaI

— Beth Healey (@Bethahealey) July 26, 2015

#Lidar sounding the atmosphere at Concordia #Antarctica @ItaliAntartide @esa @esaoperations @spacegovuk @spacescope_ pic.twitter.com/4TDaxUZj1e

— Beth Healey (@Bethahealey) July 26, 2015