Data from ESA's EarthCARE mission were used in January 2025 to gain new insight into Polar Stratospheric Clouds (PSCs). These clouds can form at altitudes of around 20-30 km in extremely cold temperatures below -78°C.

Prior to the launch of EarthCARE, the distribution, occurrence, and profiles of PSCs was difficult to measure. EarthCARE's Atmospheric Lidar (ATLID) uses a laser to detect clouds and aerosols, and captured observations of PSCs containing ice crystals moving over northern Europe toward Greenland. These clouds, known as Type II PSCs commonly form in the colder environment of Antarctica and are rare in the Arctic

These images show a comparison of PSCs EarthCARE observed in northern Europe and in the Antarctic, complemented with a photograph and a temperature map of northern Europe.

• Image 1: Photograph of Polar Stratospheric Clouds over Kiruna, Sweden, on 19 January 2025
• Image 2: ATLID data from orbit 3579 on 13 January 2025. Co- and cross-polarised particle backscatter measurements of PSCs over northern Europe.
• Image 3: Temperature map analysis from ECMWF Integrated Forecasting System on 14 January. EarthCARE's orbital track is a white line on the map.
• Image 4: ATLID data from orbit 1192 on 13 August 2024. Particle backscatter and cross-polarised backscatter measurements of Antarctic PSCs.