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In the report, we analyze the data of lidar measurements of optical characteristics of aerosol in the stratosphere over Tomsk; the analysis revealed the periods of elevated aerosol content after a series of explosive eruptions of volcanoes of the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and Iceland in 2006-2011. For these relatively weak eruptions (which injected to the stratosphere no more than 2 Mt of sulfur dioxide, serving the source for the sulfur acid aerosol formation), the periods of elevated aerosol content had been from a few months to half-year. Since 2012, a background state of aerosol loading had been established in the stratosphere over Tomsk. The regional empirical model of background stratospheric aerosol, developed by us for 2000-2008, was corrected to include data of measurements from 2012 to 2016.

Siberian Lidar Station created at V.E. Zuev Institute of Atmospheric Optics SB RAS and operating in Tomsk (56.5° N, 85.0° E) is a unique atmospheric observatory. It combines up-to-date instruments for remote laser and passive sounding for the study of aerosol and cloud fields, air temperature and humidity, and ozone and gaseous components of the ozone cycles. In addition to controlling a wide range of atmospheric parameters, the observatory allows simultaneous monitoring of the atmosphere throughout the valuable altitude range 0–75 km. In this paper, the instruments and results received at the Station are described.