The possibility to measure winds in the middle atmosphere with a Doppler lidar has just been demonstrated. It is aimed to study the wave‐mean flow interaction, when used in association with the Rayleigh lidar providing density and temperature profiles and their fluctuations. The new Doppler lidar relies on the Rayleigh scattering from air molecules and is designed to cover the height range 25‐60 km, a region where radars cannot operate. The Doppler shift of the backscattered echo is measured by inter‐comparing the signal detected through each of two high‐resolution, narrow band‐pass, Fabry‐Perot interferometers tuned on either side of the emitted laser line.

Abstract. Since the nineties, atmospheric measurement systems have been deployed at Reunion Island, mainly for monitoring the atmospheric composition in the framework of NDSC/NDACC (Network for the Detection of Stratospheric

Since 1989 Service d'Aéronomie du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique has used an incoherent Doppler lidar technique for wind measurements in the atmosphere. A new-generation Rayleigh-Mie Doppler lidar has been designed and is currently operated at the Observatoire de Haute Provence (France). We give a detailed description of this instrument and highlight two important upgrades leading to quasi-simultaneous and absolute measurements of the wind from approximately 8 to 50 km altitude. The possible sources of error are identified and quantified in terms of accuracy in the wind determination. Experimental results are given in detail, and a validation of the measurements is performed with the help of ancillary data. A first climatological description of the mean wind is briefly reported.