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Macrophysical and optical characteristics of cirrus clouds were investigated at the Semi-Arid Climate Observatory and Laboratory (SACOL; 35.95 degrees N, 104.14 degrees E) of Lanzhou University in northwest China during April to December 2007 using micro-pulse lidar data and profiling radiometer measurements. Analysis of the measurements allowed the determination of macrophysical properties such as cirrus cloud height, ambient temperature, and geometrical depth, and optical characteristics were determined in terms of optical depth, extinction coefficient, and lidar ratio. Cirrus clouds were generally observed at heights ranging from 5.8 to 12.7 km, with a mean of 9.0 +/- 1.0 km. The mean cloud geometrical depth and optical depth were found to be 2.0 +/- 0.6 km and 0.350 +/- 0.311, respectively. Optical depth increased linearly with increasing geometrical depth. The results derived from lidar signals showed that cirrus over SACOL consisted of thin cirrus and opaque cirrus which occurred frequently in the height of 8-10 km. The lidar ratio varied from 5 to 70 sr, with a mean value of 26 +/- 16 sr, after taking into account multiple scattering effects. The mean lidar ratio of thin cirrus was greater than that of opaque cirrus. The maximum lidar ratio appeared between 0.058 and 0.3 when plotted against optical depth. The lidar ratio increased exponentially as the optical depth increased. The maximum lidar ratio fell between 11 and 12 km when plotted against cloud mid-height. The lidar ratio first increased and then decreased with increasing mid-height. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.