This article presents the present-day capability of three-dimensional analysis of air pollution, by both differential absorption lidar and advanced numerical models. These two techniques exhibit numerous similarities, both at the level of spatial resolution and on a working scale. Two measurement campaigns have been performed to determine emission characteristics and concentrations of sulfur dioxide (SO2) in order to illustrate these similarities. The results of the intercomparisons are satisfactory, and differences are usually within 20%. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1990