Case studies of aerosol size distribution and chemistry during passages of a cold and warm front

1983 ◽  
Vol 17 (8) ◽  
pp. 1602
Author(s):  
D.J. Moore
Keyword(s):  
Size Distribution ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Aerosol Size Distribution ◽  
Warm Front

Estimating the Sensitivity of Radiative Impacts of Shallow, Broken Marine Clouds to Boundary Layer Aerosol Size Distribution Parameter Uncertainties for Evaluation of Satellite Retrieval Requirements

2011 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 530-538 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann M. Fridlind ◽  
Andrew S. Ackerman
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Number Concentration ◽  
Effective Radius ◽  
Aerosol Size Distribution ◽  
Parameter Uncertainties ◽  
Analytic Estimate ◽  
Aerosol Number Concentration ◽  
Aerosol Properties

Abstract A proposed objective of the planned Aerosol–Cloud–Ecosystem (ACE) satellite mission is to provide constraints on climate model representation of aerosol effects on clouds by retrieving profiles of aerosol number concentration, effective variance, and effective radius over the 0.1–1-μm radius range under humidified ambient conditions with 500-m vertical resolution and uncertainties of 100%, 50%, and 10%, respectively. Shallow, broken marine clouds provide an example of conditions where boundary layer aerosol properties would be retrieved in clear-sky gaps. To quantify the degree of constraint that proposed retrievals might provide on cloud radiative forcing (CRF) simulated by climate models under such conditions, dry aerosol size distribution parameters are independently varied here in large-eddy simulations of three well-established modeling case studies. Using the rudimentary available aerosol specifications, it is found that relative changes of total dry aerosol properties in simulations can be used as a proxy for relative changes of ambient aerosol properties targeted by ACE retrievals. The sensitivity of simulated daytime shortwave CRF to the proposed uncertainty in retrieved aerosol number concentration is −15 W m−2 in the overcast limit, roughly a factor of 2 smaller than a simple analytic estimate owing primarily to aerosol-induced reductions in simulated liquid water path across this particular set of case studies. The CRF sensitivity to proposed uncertainties in retrieved aerosol effective variance and effective radius is typically far smaller, with no corresponding analytic estimate. Generalization of the results obtained here using only three case studies would require statistical analysis of relevant meteorological and aerosol observations and quantification of observational and model uncertainties and biases.

scholarly journals Evaluating model parameterizations of submicron aerosol scattering and absorption with in situ data from ARCTAS 2008

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (14) ◽  
pp. 9435-9455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew J. Alvarado ◽  
Chantelle R. Lonsdale ◽  
Helen L. Macintyre ◽  
Huisheng Bian ◽  
Mian Chin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Optical Properties ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Aerosol Size Distribution ◽  
Visible Radiation ◽  
Submicron Aerosol ◽  
In Situ Data ◽  
Aerosol Absorption ◽  
Aerosol Scattering ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Accurate modeling of the scattering and absorption of ultraviolet and visible radiation by aerosols is essential for accurate simulations of atmospheric chemistry and climate. Closure studies using in situ measurements of aerosol scattering and absorption can be used to evaluate and improve models of aerosol optical properties without interference from model errors in aerosol emissions, transport, chemistry, or deposition rates. Here we evaluate the ability of four externally mixed, fixed size distribution parameterizations used in global models to simulate submicron aerosol scattering and absorption at three wavelengths using in situ data gathered during the 2008 Arctic Research of the Composition of the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites (ARCTAS) campaign. The four models are the NASA Global Modeling Initiative (GMI) Combo model, GEOS-Chem v9-02, the baseline configuration of a version of GEOS-Chem with online radiative transfer calculations (called GC-RT), and the Optical Properties of Aerosol and Clouds (OPAC v3.1) package. We also use the ARCTAS data to perform the first evaluation of the ability of the Aerosol Simulation Program (ASP v2.1) to simulate submicron aerosol scattering and absorption when in situ data on the aerosol size distribution are used, and examine the impact of different mixing rules for black carbon (BC) on the results. We find that the GMI model tends to overestimate submicron scattering and absorption at shorter wavelengths by 10–23 %, and that GMI has smaller absolute mean biases for submicron absorption than OPAC v3.1, GEOS-Chem v9-02, or GC-RT. However, the changes to the density and refractive index of BC in GC-RT improve the simulation of submicron aerosol absorption at all wavelengths relative to GEOS-Chem v9-02. Adding a variable size distribution, as in ASP v2.1, improves model performance for scattering but not for absorption, likely due to the assumption in ASP v2.1 that BC is present at a constant mass fraction throughout the aerosol size distribution. Using a core-shell mixing rule in ASP overestimates aerosol absorption, especially for the fresh biomass burning aerosol measured in ARCTAS-B, suggesting the need for modeling the time-varying mixing states of aerosols in future versions of ASP.

Faucet aerator design influences aerosol size distribution and microbial contamination level

2021 ◽  
Vol 775 ◽  
pp. 145690
Author(s):  
Marie-Ève Benoit ◽  
Michèle Prévost ◽  
Antonella Succar ◽  
Dominique Charron ◽  
Eric Déziel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Size Distribution ◽  
Microbial Contamination ◽  
Aerosol Size Distribution ◽  
Contamination Level

scholarly journals Combining airborne in situ and ground-based lidar measurements for attribution of aerosol layers

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Nikandrova ◽  
Ksenia Tabakova ◽  
Antti Manninen ◽  
Riikka Väänänen ◽  
Tuukka Petäjä ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Aerosol Size Distribution ◽  
Long Range Transport ◽  
Back Trajectories ◽  
Clear Sky ◽  
Temporal And Spatial Variability ◽  
Range Transport ◽  
Temporal And Spatial

Abstract. Understanding the distribution of aerosol layers is important for determining long range transport and aerosol radiative forcing. In this study we combine airborne in situ measurements of aerosol with data obtained by a ground-based High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) and radiosonde profiles to investigate the temporal and vertical variability of aerosol properties in the lower troposphere. The HSRL was deployed in Hyytiälä, Southern Finland, from January to September 2014 as a part of the US DoE ARM (Atmospheric Radiation Measurement) mobile facility during the BAECC (Biogenic Aerosols – Effects on Cloud and Climate) Campaign. Two flight campaigns took place in April and August 2014 with instruments measuring the aerosol size distribution from 10 nm to 10 µm at altitudes up to 3800 m. Two case studies from the flight campaigns, when several aerosol layers were identified, were selected for further investigation: one clear sky case, and one partly cloudy case. During the clear sky case, turbulent mixing ensured low temporal and spatial variability in the measured aerosol size distribution in the boundary layer whereas mixing was not as homogeneous in the boundary layer during the partly cloudy case. The elevated layers exhibited greater temporal and spatial variability in aerosol size distribution, indicating a lack of mixing. New particle formation was observed in the boundary layer during the clear sky case, and nucleation mode particles were also seen in the elevated layers that were not mixing with the boundary layer. Interpreting local measurements of elevated layers in terms of long-range transport can be achieved using back trajectories from Lagrangian models, but care should be taken in selecting appropriate arrival heights, since the modelled and observed layer heights did not always coincide. We conclude that higher confidence in attributing elevated aerosol layers with their air mass origin is attained when back trajectories are combined with lidar and radiosonde profiles.

scholarly journals A global off-line model of size-resolved aerosol microphysics: I. Model development and prediction of aerosol properties

2005 ◽  
Vol 5 (8) ◽  
pp. 2227-2252 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. V. Spracklen ◽  
K. J. Pringle ◽  
K. S. Carslaw ◽  
M. P. Chipperfield ◽  
G. W. Mann
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Sulfuric Acid ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Marine Boundary Layer ◽  
Transport Model ◽  
Model Development ◽  
Aerosol Size Distribution ◽  
Chemical Transport Model ◽  
Cloud Processing ◽  
Nucleation Mechanisms

Abstract. A GLObal Model of Aerosol Processes (GLOMAP) has been developed as an extension to the TOMCAT 3-D Eulerian off-line chemical transport model. GLOMAP simulates the evolution of the global aerosol size distribution using a sectional two-moment scheme and includes the processes of aerosol nucleation, condensation, growth, coagulation, wet and dry deposition and cloud processing. We describe the results of a global simulation of sulfuric acid and sea spray aerosol. The model captures features of the aerosol size distribution that are well established from observations in the marine boundary layer and free troposphere. Modelled condensation nuclei (CN>3nm) vary between about 250–500 cm-3 in remote marine boundary layer regions and are generally in good agreement with observations. Modelled continental CN concentrations are lower than observed, which may be due to lack of some primary aerosol sources or the neglect of nucleation mechanisms other than binary homogeneous nucleation of sulfuric acid-water particles. Remote marine CN concentrations increase to around 2000–10 000 cm

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