SFO LIDAR Summer School 2025, From Fundamentals to Geophysics and Industrial Applications

This school gathered over 50 participants (Master’s students, PhDs, early-career researchers, and engineers) at the Observatoire de Haute-Provence (OHP), France. A unique opportunity to explore the fundamentals of laser-atmosphere interaction, remote sensing techniques, and the latest industrial and geophysical applications of LIDAR technology — in an exceptional scientific environment.
Organized by the SFO - SOCIETE FRANCAISE D'OPTIQUE, the school is led by a distinguished committee of experts from leading universities and industrial partners. A huge thank you to our outstanding lecturers for sharing their expertise.

Participants are also experiencing hands-on sessions with “open-box” LIDAR instruments and visiting OHP’s unique atmospheric measurement facilities.
We extend our special thanks to the three chairs of the school for their leadership and commitment: Sandrine Galtier, Patrick Feneyrou and Fabien Gibert.
Special thanks to our sponsors for their generous support: CIMEL, LUMIBIRD and Vaisala.
We are also deeply grateful to our institutional partners: ONERA, Météo-France, CNES, Aix-Marseille Université, Institut Pythéas – Observatoire des Sciences de l’Univers, ACTRIS, and Labex CaPPA.
See you again in June 2027 for the next edition of the Summer School!

Summer school 2025

LIDARS : From Fundamentals to Geophysics and Industrial Applications

OHP, Observatoire de Haute Provence, France, June 15 - 20 2025

The Summer School “LIDARS: From Fundamentals to Geophysics and Industrial Applications” is dedicated to Master students, PhD students, young researchers and engineers who want to acquire theoretical and technical know-how on Lidar systems from experts in the Lidar community.

The 5-days program will first cover fundamentals of laser-matter interaction in the atmosphere. Lidar methods for remote sensing will then be presented as well as related applications for climate, air quality, atmospheric dynamics, transports, aeronautics… Special highlight will be placed on Lidar inversion protocols and on critical lidar components such as lasers and detectors. The hot topics of space lidars and lidar networks will close this Lidar week.

The Summer School will take place at Observatoire de Haute Provence (OHP), one of the largest worldwide observatories for atmospheric sciences. Participants will have the opportunity to visit the Lidar facilities of OHP and to perform additional practical work to study “open-box” LIDAR instruments.
We look forward to welcoming you to OHP from June 15 to 20, 2025 !

Download the Attendee’s Guide

Lecturers

Romain Ceolato, ONERA/DOTA, Université de Toulouse
Nicolas Cézard, ONERA/DOTA, Université de Toulouse
Alain Dabas, Centre National de Recherches Météorologiques (Météo-France/CNRS), Toulouse
Hervé Delbarre, Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie Atmosphériques (LPCA), Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale, Dunkerque
Dimitri Edouard, Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique (LMD), CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau
Patrick Feneyrou, Thales Research & Technology France, Palaiseau
Sandrine Galtier, Institut Lumière Matière (ILM), CNRS, Université de Lyon
Fabien Gibert, Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique (LMD), CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau
Sophie Godin-Beekmann, LATMOS, Laboratoire Atmosphères, Observations Spatiales, UPMC, Paris
Philippe Goloub, LOA Laboratoire d’Optique Atmosphérique, Université de Lille
Philippe Hébert, CNES Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales, Toulouse
Philippe Keckhut, LATMOS/IPSL, UVSQ Université Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Guyancourt
Laurent Lombard, ONERA/DOTA, Université Paris-Saclay, Palaiseau
Serge Meimon, ONERA/DOTA, Université Paris-Saclay, Palaiseau
Alain Miffre, Institut Lumière Matière (ILM), CNRS, Université de Lyon
Jean-Philippe ORTS, Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie marine et continentale (IMBE), CNRS , Saint-Michel-L'observatoire
Irène REMY-XUEREF, OSU Institut Pythéas, Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie marine et continentale (IMBE), Université Aix-Marseille
Stéphane Victori, CIMEL, Paris

Preliminary - Scientific program

The lectures will be presented in French.

Content: 18h oral courses + 10 hours practical work + OHP visit.

J1: Fundamentals of laser-matter interaction
J2 : Lidar measurement methods
J3: Critical lidar components (emitter/receiver)
J4: Applications of Lidars for research (climate, air quality, aeronautics, transports…)
J5: Lidars networks and space Lidars. School debrief

Language: orals will be given in French, texts and visual supports will be in English
Accommodation: all participants will be hosted at OHP. No booking needed!

Two oral sessions are planned during the school during which the participants can present their scientific activities.

The school is limited to 25 participants

Registration fees excl. taxes

Master Student/ PhD/PostDoc : 780€
Permanent position in the academic sector : 980€
Permanent position in the private sector : 1 450€

Important Dates

First Submission campaign: until Mars 15, 2025 (Closed)
Registration First campaign : until Mars 31, 2025

Second submission campaign : until March 31, 2025
Answer to candidates by April 04, 2025
Registration second campaign : until April 15, 2025

- Arrival: Sunday, June 15th 2025.
- Departure: Friday, June 20th 2025.

Practical information

Accomodations:

All participants will be hosted at OHP: No booking needed.
Participants will be offered double rooms.
Accommodation are included in the registration fees.

Transports:

The school starts on Sunday June 15th,
Participants have to arrive at OHP on Sunday afternoon, June 15th. A shuttle from Aix-TGV railway station to OHP will leave Sunday around 16h. The school ends on Friday, June 20th at noon. The shuttle back to Aix-TGV will leave from OHP Friday around 14h.

Catering:

All meals from diner of Sunday June 15th, to lunch of Friday, June 20th are included in the registration fees.

Deadline for application: March 31, 2025 (CLOSED)

With a short motivation letter (200 words max) and a short CV presenting your research activities and your Scientific abstract.

Thank you for submitting your application via the form or by directly sending your documents by e-mail (email, subject = ET25 - LIDAR)

In less than 48 hours, you will receive an acknowledgment of receipt after submitting your file. Please contact us, if you haven't received anything (check your spam folder before contacting us).