<jats:p>Abstract. During the Arctic Study of Tropospheric Aerosol, Clouds and Radiation (ASTAR) in March and April 2007, measurements obtained at the AWIPEV Arctic Research Base in Ny-Ålesund, Spitsbergen at 78.9° N, 11.9° E (operated by the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research – AWI and the Institut polaire français Paul-Emile Victor – IPEV), supported the airborne campaign. This included lidar data from the Koldewey Aerosol Raman Lidar (KARL) and the Micro Pulse Lidar (MPL), located in the atmospheric observatory as well as photometer data and the daily launched radiosonde. The MPL features nearly continuous measurements; the KARL was switched on whenever weather conditions allowed observations (145 h in 61 days). From 1 March to 30 April, 71 meteorological balloon soundings were performed and compared with the concurrent MPL measurements; photometer measurements are available from 18 March. For the KARL data, a statistical overview of particle detection based on their optical properties backscatter ratio and volume depolarization can be given. The altitudes of the occurrence of the named features (subvisible and visible ice and water as well as mixed-phase clouds, aerosol layers) as well as their dependence on different air mass origins are analyzed. Although the spring 2007 was characterized by rather clean conditions, diverse case studies of cloud and aerosol occurrence during March and April 2007 are presented in more detail, including temporal development and main optical properties as depolarization, backscatter and extinction coefficients. Links between air mass origins and optical properties can be presumed but need further evidence. </jats:p>