Long-term observations of aerosol optical properties at three GAW regional sites in the Central Mediterranean

2020 ◽  
Vol 241 ◽  
pp. 104976 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Donateo ◽  
Teresa Lo Feudo ◽  
Angela Marinoni ◽  
Claudia Roberta Calidonna ◽  
Daniele Contini ◽  
...  
2022 ◽  
Vol 2152 (1) ◽  
pp. 012001
Author(s):  
Heng Li

Abstract Increase of atmospheric aerosols has a profound impact on the Earth’s climate. It’s also one of the crucial factors that cuasesd more fequent air pollution events in China. Monthly average Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) from MODIS and UltraViolet Absorbing aerosol Index (UVAI) from OMI during 2011 to 2019 are used to analyse the trend of absorption and total aerosol optical properties over three typical provinces of China, namely Shandong, Gansu and Guangdong provinces. The results show the average annual AOD of the three provinces are all decreasing while UVAI rises during this period. In addition, the monthly variation of AOD and UVAI are also obviously different over these provinces. In particular, the peak value of AOD appeared in July and the trough appeared in December over Shandong Province. And the peak appeared in April over Gansu Province, but AOD decrease slower then over Shandong Province. And there were two peaks in April and August over Guangdong Province. For UVAI, the peaks over Shandong and Gansu provinces both occur in January, while that over Guangdong Province appears in March. Above mentioned differences in the long-term trend and monthly variation of AOD and UVAI might be closely related to the meteorological conditions and aerosol emission of these three provinces.


2022 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 561-575
Author(s):  
Jiaxing Sun ◽  
Zhe Wang ◽  
Wei Zhou ◽  
Conghui Xie ◽  
Cheng Wu ◽  
...  

Abstract. Atmospheric aerosols play an important role in the radiation balance of the earth–atmosphere system. However, our knowledge of the long-term changes in equivalent black carbon (eBC) and aerosol optical properties in China is very limited. Here we analyze the 9-year measurements of eBC and aerosol optical properties from 2012 to 2020 in Beijing, China. Our results showed large reductions in eBC by 71 % from 6.25 ± 5.73 µg m−3 in 2012 to 1.80 ± 1.54 µg m−3 in 2020 and 47 % decreases in the light extinction coefficient (bext, λ = 630 nm) of fine particles due to the Clean Air Action Plan that was implemented in 2013. The seasonal and diurnal variations of eBC illustrated the most significant reductions in the fall and at nighttime, respectively. ΔeBC / ΔCO also showed an annual decrease from ∼ 7 to 4 ng m−3 ppbv−1 and presented strong seasonal variations with high values in spring and fall, indicating that primary emissions in Beijing have changed significantly. As a response to the Clean Air Action Plan, single-scattering albedo (SSA) showed a considerable increase from 0.79 ± 0.11 to 0.88 ± 0.06, and mass extinction efficiency (MEE) increased from 3.2 to 3.8 m2 g−1. These results highlight the increasing importance of scattering aerosols in radiative forcing and a future challenge in visibility improvement due to enhanced MEE. Brown carbon (BrC) showed similar changes and seasonal variations to eBC during 2018–2020. However, we found a large increase of secondary BrC in the total BrC in most seasons, particularly in summer with the contribution up to 50 %, demonstrating an enhanced role of secondary formation in BrC in recent years. The long-term changes in eBC and BrC have also affected the radiative forcing effect. The direct radiative forcing (ΔFR) of BC decreased by 67 % from +3.36 W m−2 in 2012 to +1.09 W m−2 in 2020, and that of BrC decreased from +0.30 to +0.17 W m−2 during 2018–2020. Such changes might have important implications for affecting aerosol–boundary layer interactions and the improvement of future air quality.


2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (20) ◽  
pp. 27731-27767 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Hervo ◽  
K. Sellegri ◽  
J. M. Pichon ◽  
J. C. Roger ◽  
P. Laj

Abstract. Optical properties of aerosols were measured from the GAW Puy de Dôme station (1465 m) over a seven year period (2006–2012). The impact of hygroscopicity on aerosol optical properties was calculated over a two year period (2010–2011). The analysis of the spatial and temporal variability of the optical properties showed that while no long term trend was found, a clear seasonal and diurnal variation was observed on the extensive parameters (scattering, absorption). Scattering and absorption coefficients were highest during the warm season and daytime, in concordance with the seasonality and diurnal variation of the PBL height reaching the site. Intensive parameters (single scattering albedo, asymmetry factor, refractive index) did not show such a strong diurnal variability, but still indicated different values depending on the season. Both extensive and intensive optical parameters were sensitive to the air mass origin. A strong impact of hygroscopicity on aerosol optical properties was calculated, mainly on aerosol scattering, with a dependence on the aerosol type. At 90% humidity, the scattering factor enhancement (fσsca) was more than 4.4 for oceanic aerosol that have mixed with a pollution plume. Consequently, the aerosol radiative forcing was estimated to be 2.8 times higher at RH = 90% and 1.75 times higher at ambient RH when hygroscopic growth of the aerosol was considered. The hygroscopicity enhancement factor of the scattering coefficient was parameterized as a function of humidity and air mass type.


2016 ◽  
Vol 142 ◽  
pp. 238-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Raja Obul Reddy ◽  
G. Balakrishnaiah ◽  
K. Rama Gopal ◽  
N. Siva Kumar Reddy ◽  
T. Chakradhar Rao ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 3255-3267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gloria Titos ◽  
Marina Ealo ◽  
Roberto Román ◽  
Alberto Cazorla ◽  
Yolanda Sola ◽  
...  

Abstract. Given the need for accurate knowledge of aerosol microphysical and optical properties with height resolution, various algorithms combining vertically resolved and column-integrated aerosol information have been developed in the last years. Here we present new results of vertically resolved extensive aerosol optical properties (backscattering, scattering and extinction) and volume concentrations retrieved with the GRASP (Generalized Retrieval of Aerosol and Surface Properties) algorithm over a 3-year period. The range-corrected signal (RCS) at 1064 nm measured with a ceilometer and the aerosol optical depth (AOD) and sky radiances from a sun/sky photometer have been used as input for this algorithm. We perform a detailed evaluation of GRASP retrievals with simultaneous in situ measurements performed at the same height, at the Montsec mountaintop observatory (MSA) in the Pre-Pyrenees (northeastern Spain). This is the first long-term evaluation of various outputs of this algorithm; previous evaluations focused only on the study of aerosol volume concentration for short-term periods. In general, our results show good agreement between techniques although GRASP inversions yield higher values than those measured in situ. The statistical analysis of the extinction coefficient vertical profiles shows a clear seasonality as well as significant differences depending on the air mass origin. The observed seasonal cycle is mainly modulated by a higher development of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) during warm months, which favors the transport of pollutants to MSA, and higher influence of regional and North African episodes. On the other hand, in winter, MSA is frequently influenced by free-troposphere conditions and venting periods and therefore lower extinction coefficients that markedly decrease with height. This study shows the potentiality of implementing GRASP in ceilometer and lidar networks for obtaining aerosol optical properties and volume concentrations at multiple sites, which will definitely contribute to enhancing the representativeness of the aerosol vertical distribution as well as to providing useful information for satellite and global model evaluation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 237 ◽  
pp. 02027
Author(s):  
Julian Hofer ◽  
Dietrich Althausen ◽  
Sabur F. Abdullaev ◽  
Abduvosit N. Makhmudov ◽  
Bakhron I. Nazarov ◽  
...  

Tajikistan is often affected by atmospheric mineral dust originating from various surrounding deserts. The direct and indirect radiative effects of that dust play a sensitive role in the Central Asian climate system and therefore need to be quantified. The Central Asian Dust Experiment (CADEX) provides for the first time an aerosol climatology for Central Asia based long-term aerosol profiling by ground-based lidar (PollyXT type) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. For pure dust cases, mean depolarization(lidar) ratios of 0.23±0.03(44±3 sr) at 355 nm and 0.32±0.02(38±3 sr) at 532 nm wavelength have been measured. The mean extinction-related Ångström exponent was 0.18±0.15.


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