The 2008 International Laser Radar Conference (ILRC24) will feature invited and contributed talks on topics associated with the development and application of lidar techniques for describing, understanding, and monitoring earth, atmospheric, and geophysical processes.

ILRC24 will place a special emphasis on the role of laser remote sensing in assessing the impacts of climate change and improving understanding of climate forcing mechanisms and key processes. The program will include keynote addresses on important issues such as the state of climate change science, recent research results, lingering uncertainties, research priorities, and future research directions.

 ILRC24, in addition to serving its traditional role as a venue for presentation of recent results, will also actively address the state and future of laser remote sensing. The program will make use of invited talks and conference themes to describe current and future needs for atmospheric, earth and ocean measurements, present emerging technologies and platforms that promise to increase the impact and application of lidar remote sensing, discuss the deployment of lidars as part of multi-dimensional, multi-sensor observation networks and show examples and ideas on the analysis and assimilation into models of multi-parameter, geographically extensive data sets.

• Advances in lidar techniques and new methodologies

• Atmospheric winds and turbulence

• Atmospheric boundary layer structure and dynamics

• Trace gas sensing for climate and air quality research

• Atmospheric water vapor and moisture transport
• Cloud microphysics and radiative properties
  

• Tropospheric and lower stratospheric dynamics and transport

• Aerosol direct and indirect effects on climate

• Aerosol and species characterization, plume detection and tracking
• Middle atmosphere physics and chemistry

• Solid earth, ocean and land surface applications

• Space-based missions, validation and global monitoring

• Combining lidar measurements and analysis with other techniques

• Assimilation of observations into forecast models

• Applications of lidar to weather and climate research

• Lidar networks