INSTRUMENTS ,

The lidar of the Atmospheric Physics Group (GFAT) of the Andalusian Environment Centre (Government of Andalusia, University of Granada) joined EARLINET in April 2005. It is based on a Q-switch pulsed Nd:YAG laser equipped with a frequency doubler and tripler, which provides pulses of 100 mJ at 1064 nm, 55 mJ at 532 nm and 60 mJ at 355 nm, with a duration of around 7 ns. In reception, it uses a telescope of 40 cm diameter to receive 5 wavelengths, namely the elastic returns of the emission lengths plus the Raman backscatterings of N₂ at 387 nm and of water vapour at 408 nm, excited by radiation of 355 nm. In addition, the return at 532 nm is divided into polarisation channels parallel and perpendicular with the emission. It uses photomultiplier tubes (PMT) to detect the returns in the ultraviolet and visible spectrum and an avalanche photodiode for the return at 1064 nm. The system is transportable.