The primary objective of this complex aerosol experiment was the measurement of microphysical, chemical, and optical properties of aerosol particles in the surface air layer and free atmosphere. The measurement data were used to retrieve the whole set of aerosol optical parameters, necessary for radiation calculations. Three measurement cycles were performed within the experiment during 2013: in spring, when the aerosol generation is maximal; in summer (July), when atmospheric boundary layer altitude and, hence, mixing layer altitude are maximal; and in late summer/early autumn, during the period of nucleation of secondary particles. Thus, independently obtained data on the optical, meteorological, and microphysical parameters of the atmosphere allow intercalibration and inter-complement of the data and thereby provide for qualitatively new information which explains the physical nature of the processes that form the vertical structure of the aerosol field.

In 2019, the southern region of Eastern Siberia (located between 45° N and 60° N) experienced heavy floods, while the northern region (between 60° N and 75° N) saw intense forest fires that lasted for almost the entire summer, from 25 June to 12 August. To investigate the causes of these natural disasters, we analyzed the large-scale features of atmospheric circulation, specifically the Rossby wave breaking and atmospheric blocking events. In the summer of 2019, two types of Rossby wave breaking were observed: a cyclonic type, with a wave breaking over Siberia from the east (110° E–115° E), and an anticyclonic type, with a wave breaking over Siberia from the west (75° E–90° E). The sequence of the Rossby wave breaking and extreme weather events in summer, 2019 are as follows: 24–26 June (cyclonic type, extreme precipitation, flood), 28–29 June and 1–2 July (anticyclonic type, forest fires), 14–17 July (both types of breaking, forest fires), 25–28 July (cyclonic type, extreme precipitation, flood), 2 and 7 August (anticyclonic type, forest fires). Rossby wave breaking occurred three times, resulting in the formation and maintenance of atmospheric blocking over Eastern Siberia: 26 June–3 July, 12–21 July and 4–10 August. In general, the scenario of the summer events was as follows: cyclonic Rossby wave breaking over the southern part of Eastern Siberia (45° N–60° N) caused extreme precipitation (floods) and led to low gradients of potential vorticity and potential temperature in the west and east of Lake Baikal. The increased wave activity flux from the Europe–North Atlantic sector caused the anticyclonic-type Rossby wave breaking to occur west of the area of a low potential vorticity gradient and north of 60° N. This, in turn, contributed to the maintenance of blocking anticyclones in the north of Eastern Siberia, which led to the intensification and expansion of the area of forest fires. These events were preceded by an increase in the amplitude of the quasi-stationary wave structure over the North Atlantic and Europe during the first half of June.

The scientific instrumental complex of the Optik-É AN-30 aircraft laboratory developed at the Institute of Atmospheric Optics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences is described in detail. Specifications of the main units of the instrumental complex are presented. Special attention is given to the metrological support of measurements of the atmospheric parameters. Experimental capabilities of the aircraft laboratory are illustrated by the results obtained in recent flights over various regions of the Russian Federation.

Results of joint measurements of height profiles of wind velocity and direction by the Stream Line pulse coherent Doppler lidar and RS92-SGP radiosonde in Tomsk from 23 to 27 of September, 2013, are presented. It has been established that wind profiles can be retrieved up to heights from 400 to 1100 m depending on the aerosol concentration in the atmospheric boundary layer from lidar data measured at an elevation angle of 45°. It is shown that the coefficient of correlation between lidar and radiosonde measurements of wind velocity and direction is equal to 0.97. The mathematical expectation and standard deviation of the difference between estimates for the wind velocity and direction from the radiosonde and lidar data amount to 0.1 and 0.7 m/s, respectively, for the velocity and 0.8° and 4°, respectively, for the wind direction.

We consider two possible mechanisms of stratospheric control of the ozone concentration and dynamics in the troposphere. The first mechanism is implemented through the total-ozone-caused modulation of the ultraviolet radiative flux, incoming to the troposphere and initiating therein the photochemical processes. The second mechanism acts through direct transport of stratospheric ozone, which will “trigger” the photolysis and initiate these same processes of ozone generation, but now in the troposphere. Both of these mechanisms of stratospheric ozone control of the near-ground ozone concentration are shown to be apparent near Tomsk. It is noteworthy that the control via ultraviolet flux determines the amplitude modulation, and the transport from the stratosphere to the troposphere drives the temporal modulation.