Between March 25 and 28, 2025, the RADO-Bucharest station hosted the CARS Training Workshop, bringing together participants for an intensive, hands-on learning experience focused on lidar instrument operation and quality assurance procedures. The workshop covered a wide range of critical topics, including:

  • The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for lidar systems, from installation and alignment to routine maintenance;
  •  Theoretical background behind quality assurance (QA) testing and the significance of each evaluated parameter;
  •  Installation and use of the ATLAS software (Automated Lidar Analysis Software) for instrument performance analysis; 
  • Configuration and execution of performance reports in ATLAS, including integration of results into the Single Calculus Chain (SCC); 
  • Development of new operational configurations within SCC, based on QA outputs;
  •  End-to-end data validation workflow through the CARPORT platform, from quality testing to generation of functional operational versions;
  •  Real-world case discussions, lessons learned, and constructive feedback shared among all participants.

 The event fostered knowledge exchange and skill development within the ACTRIS community, contributing to consistent and high-quality atmospheric observations across the network.