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To understand the characteristics of atmospheric pollution in Xi'an, China, the vertical structure of aerosols and meteorological data (temperature and relative humidity) during atmospheric pollution processes were obtained and studied. Lidar and radiosonde data were used for analyses of atmospheric pollution. Polarization lidar was used to study the vertical distribution and optical properties of aerosols during haze and dust processes that occurred in 2015–2016. The planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) and types of aerosol particles were retrieved from polarization lidar. A case study shows that a low PBLH and complex vertical distributions of aerosols, temperature and relative humidity (RH) were the main structural characteristics of haze days. The backscatter coefficient exceeded 0.015 km−1·Sr−1, while the linear particle depolarization ratio was relatively small. A large depolarization ratio above the haze layer, which induces the existence of floating dust, was observed by polarization lidar. Compared with those of haze processes, the vertical aerosol and temperature distributions of dust processes were different. Statistical analyses of the PBLH, temperature inversion, RH and near-surface aerosol concentration were also presented. A lower PBLH, lower average lapse rate of temperature within the PBL, and higher RH were found when haze pollution occurred. An inversion at the top of the boundary layer aggravates ground pollution, while there is not always a temperature inversion when haze occurs in Xi'an. Together, a lower PBLH and lower average lapse rate of temperature weaken the vertical diffusion of pollutants. Decreased vertical diffusion should be the main reason for the formation and persistence of pollution in Xi'an. Increased RH was the catalyst for haze pollution. The aggravation of haze was usually accompanied by an increase in RH, and the decline of haze processes was also accompanied by a decrease or increase (>90%) in RH. • The simultaneous observations of aerosols and meteorological factors profiles in Xi' an, were performed. • The complex vertical distributions of aerosol, temperature and relative humidity were found in pollution process. • Little average lapse rate of temperature is the main reason for the decrease of vertical diffusion ability of pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]