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.
