Constraining the ocean’s biological pump with in situ optical observations and supervised learning. Part 1:particle size distributions

Abstract. In-situ measurements of vertically resolved particle size distributions based on a tethered balloon system were carried out for the first time in the highland city of Lhasa over the Tibetan Plateau in summer 2020, using portable optical counters for the size range of 0.124~32 μm. The vertical structure of 112 aerosol profiles was found to be largely shaped by the evolution of the boundary layer (BL), with a nearly uniform distribution of aerosols within the daytime mixing layer and a sharp decline with the height in the shallow nocturnal boundary layer. During the campaign, the average mass concentration of particulate matters smaller than 2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5) within the BL was around 3 μg m−3, almost four times of the amount in the free troposphere (FT), which was rarely affected by surface anthropogenic emissions. Though there was a lower level of particle mass in the residual layer (RL) than in the BL, a similarity in particle mass size distributions (PMSDs) suggested that particles in the RL might be of the same origin as particles in the BL. This was also in consistence with the source apportionment analysis based on the PMSDs. Three distinct modes were observed in the PMSDs for the BL and the RL. One mode was exclusively coarse particles up to roughly 15 μm and peaked around 5 μm. More than 50 % of total particle mass was often contributed by coarse mode particles in this area, which was thought to be associated with local dust resuspension. The mode peaking over 0.5~0.7 μm was representative of biomass burning on religious holidays and was found to be most pronounced on holiday mornings. The contribution from the religious burning factor rose from about 25 % on non-holidays to nearly 50 % on holiday mornings. The mode dominated by particles smaller than 0.3 μm was thought to be associated with combustion related emissions and/or secondary aerosol formation. In the FT coarse mode particles only accounted for less than 10 % of the total mass and particles larger than 5 μm were negligible. The predominant submicron particles in the FT might be related to secondary aerosol formation and the aging of existed particles. To give a full picture of aerosol physical and chemical properties and better understand the origin and impacts of aerosols in this area, intensive field campaigns involving measurements of vertically resolved aerosol chemical compositions in different seasons would be much encouraged in the future.

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Dependence of solar radiative forcing of forest fire aerosol on ageing and state of mixture

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics ◽

10.5194/acp-3-881-2003 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 3 (3) ◽

pp. 881-891 ◽

Cited By ~ 51

Author(s):

M. Fiebig ◽

A. Stohl ◽

M. Wendisch ◽

S. Eckhardt ◽

A. Petzold

Keyword(s):

Particle Size ◽

Forest Fire ◽

Radiative Forcing ◽

Size Distributions ◽

Particle Size Distributions ◽

Fire Plume ◽

Coagulation Rate ◽

Mean Diameter ◽

Convective Mixed Layer

Abstract. During airborne in situ measurements of particle size distributions in a forest fire plume originating in Northern Canada, an accumulation mode number mean diameter of 0.34 mm was observed over Lindenberg, Germany on 9 August 1998. Realizing that this is possibly the largest value observed for this property in a forest fire plume, scenarios of plume ageing by coagulation are considered to explain the observed size distribution, concluding that the plume dilution was inhibited in parts of the plume. The uncertainties in coagulation rate and transition from external to internal mixture of absorbing forest fire and non-absorbing background particles cause uncertainties in the plume's solar instantaneous radiative forcing of 20-40% and of a factor of 5-6, respectively. Including information compiled from other studies on this plume, it is concluded that the plume's characteristics are qualitatively consistent with a radiative-convective mixed layer.

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The Impact of Facies Variability within the Harwich Formation on Ground Engineering in the London Area, UK.

Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology ◽

10.1144/qjegh2020-136 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. qjegh2020-136

Author(s):

Justyna Edgar ◽

Richard C. Ghail ◽

James Lawrence ◽

Jacqueline Skipper ◽

Philippa J. Mason

Keyword(s):

Particle Size ◽

Fault Zones ◽

Size Distributions ◽

Infrastructure Projects ◽

Particle Size Distributions ◽

Facies Model ◽

In Situ Observations ◽

The Impact

The Eocene Harwich Formation, underlying the Greater London (UK) area, presents many construction problems for design and location of tunnels, pipelines, and other engineering infrastructure projects. Variable deposits make up the sequence of the Harwich Formation. These include cemented fault zones, hard grounds, loose gravel and sand that, when unexpectedly encountered, can cause construction delays and increase costs. Here, we interpret borehole cores and logs, in-situ observations coupled with borehole derived samples, and calculate particle-size distributions to develop a general facies model that accounts for the lithological distribution within the Harwich Formation. This provides an improved geological framework for proposed subsurface construction that can reduce inherent engineering uncertainties, not only in the London region, but potentially in other similar geological environments.

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Evaluation of an in situ sampling probe for its accuracy in determining particle size distributions from flames

Journal of Aerosol Science ◽

10.1016/s0021-8502(97)00031-1 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 28 (8) ◽

pp. 1569-1578 ◽

Cited By ~ 48

Author(s):

M. Kasper ◽

K. Siegmann ◽

K. Sattler

Keyword(s):

Particle Size ◽

Size Distributions ◽

Particle Size Distributions ◽

Sampling Probe

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Observations and Parameterizations of Particle Size Distributions in Deep Tropical Cirrus and Stratiform Precipitating Clouds: Results from In Situ Observations in TRMM Field Campaigns

Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences ◽

10.1175/1520-0469(2002)059<3457:oapops>2.0.co;2 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 59 (24) ◽

pp. 3457-3491 ◽

Cited By ~ 199

Author(s):

Andrew J. Heymsfield ◽

Aaron Bansemer ◽

Paul R. Field ◽

Stephen L. Durden ◽

Jeffrey L. Stith ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Particle Size ◽

Size Distributions ◽

Particle Size Distributions ◽

In Situ Observations ◽

Field Campaigns ◽

Precipitating Clouds

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The Asian tropopause aerosol layer within the 2017 monsoon anticyclone: microphysical properties derived from aircraft-borne in situ measurements

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics ◽

10.5194/acp-21-15259-2021 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (19) ◽

pp. 15259-15282

Author(s):

Christoph Mahnke ◽

Ralf Weigel ◽

Francesco Cairo ◽

Jean-Paul Vernier ◽

Armin Afchine ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Particle Size ◽

Aerosol Particle ◽

Aerosol Particles ◽

Aerosol Layer ◽

Size Distributions ◽

Particle Size Distributions ◽

Data Set ◽

Microphysical Properties ◽

Aerosol Particle Size

Abstract. The Asian summer monsoon is an effective pathway for aerosol particles and precursors from the planetary boundary layer over Central, South, and East Asia into the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. An enhancement of aerosol particles within the Asian monsoon anticyclone (AMA), called the Asian tropopause aerosol layer (ATAL), has been observed by satellites. We discuss airborne in situ and remote sensing observations of aerosol microphysical properties conducted during the 2017 StratoClim field campaign within the AMA region. The aerosol particle measurements aboard the high-altitude research aircraft M55 Geophysica (maximum altitude reached of ∼20.5 km) were conducted with a modified ultra-high-sensitivity aerosol spectrometer – airborne (UHSAS-A; particle diameter detection range of 65 nm to 1 µm), the COndensation PArticle counting System (COPAS, detecting total concentrations of submicrometer-sized particles), and the New Ice eXpEriment – Cloud and Aerosol Spectrometer with Detection of POLarization (NIXE-CAS-DPOL). In the COPAS and UHSAS-A vertical particle mixing ratio (PMR) profiles and the size distribution profiles (for number, surface area, and volume concentration), the ATAL is evident as a distinct layer between ∼370 and 420 K potential temperature (Θ). Within the ATAL, the maximum detected PMRs (from the median profiles) were ∼700 mg−1 for particle diameters between 65 nm and 1 µm (UHSAS-A) and higher than 2500 mg−1 for diameters larger than 10 nm (COPAS). These values are up to 2 times higher than those previously found at similar altitudes in other tropical locations. The difference between the PMR profiles measured by the UHSAS-A and the COPAS indicate that the region below the ATAL at Θ levels from 350 to 370 K is influenced by the nucleation of aerosol particles (diameter <65 nm). We provide detailed analyses of the vertical distribution of the aerosol particle size distributions and the PMR and compare these with previous tropical and extratropical measurements. The backscatter ratio (BR) was calculated based on the aerosol particle size distributions measured in situ. The resulting data set was compared with the vertical profiles of the BR detected by the multiwavelength aerosol scatterometer (MAS) and an airborne miniature aerosol lidar (MAL) aboard the M55 Geophysica and by the satellite-borne Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP). The data of all four methods largely agree with one another, showing enhanced BR values in the altitude range of the ATAL (between ∼15 and 18.5 km) with a maximum at 17.5 km altitude. By means of the AMA-centered equivalent latitude calculated from meteorological reanalysis data, it is shown that such enhanced values of the BR larger than 1.1 could only be observed within the confinement of the AMA.

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