Lidar soundings of stratospheric aerosols performed in Frascati (41.8¿N; 12.7¿E) between April 1982 and October 1985 are reported. Measurements cover the buildup and most of the decline of the aerosol cloud generated by the eruptions of the Mexican volcano El Chich¿n (March/April 1982). Single-wavelength lidar profiles provide height-resolved information about the particle content of the region investigated. Data are analyzed under the assumption of a linear relationship between backscattering efficiency and particle size. Such procedure allows an estimate of aerosol mass load from lidar profiles. Results are compared with ''in situ'' measurements and discussed. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1989