scholarly journals Observations of Saharan dust microphysical and optical properties from the Eastern Atlantic during NAMMA airborne field campaign

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 723-740 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Chen ◽  
L. D. Ziemba ◽  
D. A. Chu ◽  
K. L. Thornhill ◽  
G. L. Schuster ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Optical Properties ◽  
Dust Particle ◽  
Saharan Dust ◽  
Dust Particles ◽  
Small Range ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Particle Size Distributions ◽  
Field Campaign ◽  
Sahara Dust

Abstract. As part of the international project entitled "African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis (AMMA)", NAMMA (NASA AMMA) aimed to gain a better understanding of the relationship between the African Easterly Waves (AEWs), the Sahara Air Layer (SAL), and tropical cyclogenesis. The NAMMA airborne field campaign was based out of the Cape Verde Islands during the peak of the hurricane season, i.e., August and September 2006. Multiple Sahara dust layers were sampled during 62 encounters in the eastern portion of the hurricane main development region, covering both the eastern North Atlantic Ocean and the western Saharan desert (i.e., 5–22° N and 10–35° W). The centers of these layers were located at altitudes between 1.5 and 3.3 km and the layer thickness ranged from 0.5 to 3 km. Detailed dust microphysical and optical properties were characterized using a suite of in-situ instruments aboard the NASA DC-8 that included a particle counter, an Ultra-High Sensitivity Aerosol Spectrometer, an Aerodynamic Particle Sizer, a nephelometer, and a Particle Soot Absorption Photometer. The NAAMA sampling inlet has a size cut (i.e., 50% transmission efficiency size) of approximately 4 μm in diameter for dust particles, which limits the representativeness of the NAMMA observational findings. The NAMMA dust observations showed relatively low particle number densities, ranging from 268 to 461 cm−3, but highly elevated volume density with an average at 45 μm3 cm−3. NAMMA dust particle size distributions can be well represented by tri-modal lognormal regressions. The estimated volume median diameter (VMD) is averaged at 2.1 μm with a small range of variation regardless of the vertical and geographical sampling locations. The Ångström Exponent assessments exhibited strong wavelength dependence for absorption but a weak one for scattering. The single scattering albedo was estimated at 0.97 ± 0.02. The imaginary part of the refractive index for Sahara dust was estimated at 0.0022, with a range from 0.0015 to 0.0044. Closure analysis showed that observed scattering coefficients are highly correlated with those calculated from spherical Mie-Theory and observed dust particle size distributions. These values are generally consistent with literature values reported from studies with similar particle sampling size range.

scholarly journals Observations of Saharan dust microphysical and optical properties from the Eastern Atlantic during NAMMA airborne field campaign

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 13445-13493 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Chen ◽  
L. D. Ziemba ◽  
D. A. Chu ◽  
K. L. Thornhill ◽  
G. L. Schuster ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Optical Properties ◽  
Dust Particle ◽  
North Atlantic Ocean ◽  
Saharan Dust ◽  
Small Range ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Particle Size Distributions ◽  
Field Campaign ◽  
Sahara Dust

Abstract. As part of the international project entitled "African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis (AMMA)", NAMMA (NASA AMMA) aimed to gain a better understanding of the relationship between the African Easterly Waves (AEWs), the Sahara Air Layer (SAL), and tropical cyclogenesis. The NAMMA airborne field campaign was based out of the Cape Verde Islands during the peak of the hurricane season, i.e., August and September 2006. Multiple Sahara dust layers were sampled during 62 encounters in the eastern portion of the hurricane main development region, covering both the eastern North Atlantic Ocean and the western Saharan desert (i.e., 5–22° N and 10–35° W). The centers of these layers were located at altitudes between 1.5 and 3.3 km and the layer thickness ranged from 0.5 to 3 km. Detailed dust microphysical and optical properties were characterized using a suite of in situ instruments aboard the NASA DC-8 that included a particle counter, an Ultra-High Sensitivity Aerosol Spectrometer, an Aerodynamic Particle Sizer, nephelometer, and Particle Soot Absorption Photometer. The NAMMA dust observations showed relatively low particle number densities, ranging from 268 to 461 cm−3, but highly elevated volume density with an average at 45 μm3 cm−3. NAMMA dust particle size distributions were well represented by tri-modal lognormal regressions. The estimated volume median diameter (VMD) is averaged at 2.1 μm with a small range of variation regardless of the vertical and geographical sampling locations. The absorption coefficient measurements exhibited a strong wavelength dependence for absorption but a weak one for scattering. The single scattering albedo was estimated at 0.97±0.02. Closure analyses showed that observed scattering and absorption coefficients are highly correlated with those calculated from spherical Mie-Theory and observed dust particle size distributions. The imaginary part of the refractive index for Sahara dust was estimated at 0.0022, with a range from 0.0015 to 0.0044. These values are generally consistent with literature values.

scholarly journals Dust Particle Size Distributions during Spring in Yinchuan, China

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiangfeng Shao ◽  
Jiandong Mao
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Wind Speed ◽  
Dust Particle ◽  
Dust Storm ◽  
Fine Particles ◽  
Dust Particles ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Particle Size Distributions ◽  
Mass Distributions ◽  
Mass Size

Dust particle size distributions in Yinchuan, China, were measured during March and April 2014, using APS-3321 sampler. The distributions were measured under different dust conditions (background, floating dust, blowing dust, and dust storm) and statistical analyses were performed. The results showed that, under different dust conditions, the instantaneous number concentrations of dust particles differed widely. For example, during blowing sand and dust storm conditions, instantaneous dust particles concentrations varied substantially, while, under floating dust conditions, concentration differences were relatively small. The average dust particles size distributions were unimodal under all dust conditions, but the average surface area and mass size distributions were all bimodal. These distributions had peaks in different locations under different dust conditions. Under different dust conditions, wind speed and humidity were very important factors for particles size distributions. With increasing wind speed and decreasing humidity, fine particles were dominant in the atmosphere and the number and mass distributions of the coarse particles were indicative of long-range transport from surrounding deserts. Different dust conditions had different influences on PM1, PM2.5, and PM10concentrations.

scholarly journals Physical and optical properties of atmospheric aerosol by in-situ and radiometric measurements

2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 25565-25597
Author(s):  
M. Calvello ◽  
F. Esposito ◽  
G. Pavese ◽  
C. Serio
Keyword(s):  
Optical Properties ◽  
Atmospheric Aerosols ◽  
Saharan Dust ◽  
Dust Particles ◽  
Rural Site ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Anthropogenic Aerosols ◽  
Anthropogenic Aerosol ◽  
Observation Methods

Abstract. Physical and optical properties of atmospheric aerosols collected by using a high resolution (1.5 nm) spectroradiometer (spectral range 400–800 nm), a 13 stages Dekati Low Pressure Impactor (size range 30 nm–10 μm), and an AE31 Aethalometer (7 wavelenghts from 370 nm to 950 nm), have been examined in a semi-rural site in Southwest Italy (Tito Scalo, 40°35´ N, 15°41´ E, 750 m a.s.l.). In particular, daily averaged values of AOD and Ångström turbidity parameters from radiometric data together with mass-size distributions from impactor data and Black Carbon (BC) concentrations have been analyzed from May to October 2008. Furthermore, by inverting direct solar radiances, aerosol columnar number and volume size distributions have been obtained for the same period. Comparison of different observation methods, allowed to verify if, and in what conditions, changes in aerosol properties measured at ground are representative of columnar properties variations. Agreement between columnar and in-situ measurements has been obtained in case of anthropogenic aerosol loading, while in case of Saharan dust intrusions some discrepancies have been found when dust particles were located at high layers in the atmosphere (4–8 km) thus affecting columnar properties more than surface ones. For anthropogenic aerosols, a good correlation has been confirmed through the comparison of fine aerosol fraction contribution as measured by radiometer, impactor and aethalometer, suggesting that in this case particles are more homogeneously distributed over the lower layers of atmosphere and columnar aerosol optical properties are dominated by surface measured component.

scholarly journals A comparison of light backscattering and particle size distribution measurements in tropical cirrus clouds

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 557-570 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Cairo ◽  
G. Di Donfrancesco ◽  
M. Snels ◽  
F. Fierli ◽  
M. Viterbini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Optical Properties ◽  
Volume Density ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Backscatter Coefficient ◽  
Particle Size Distributions ◽  
Particle Volume ◽  
Total Particle ◽  
Research Aircraft

Abstract. An FSSP-100 Optical Particle Counter designed to count and size particles in the micron range and a backscattersonde that measures in-situ particle optical properties such as backscatter and depolarization ratio, are part of the payload of the high altitude research aircraft M55 Geophysica. This aircraft was deployed in tropical field campaigns in Bauru, Brasil (TROCCINOX, 2004) Darwin, Australia (SCOUT-Darwin, 2005) and Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (SCOUT-AMMA, 2006). In those occasions, measurements of particle size distributions and optical properties within cirrus cloud were performed. Scope of the present work is to assess and discuss the consistency between the particle volume backscatter coefficient observed by the backscattersonde and the same parameter retrieved by optical scattering theory applied to particle size distributions as measured by the FSSP-100. In addition, empirical relationships linking the optical properties measured in-situ by the backscattersonde, which generally can be obtained by remote sensing techniques (LIDAR), and microphysical bulk properties like total particle number, surface and volume density will be presented and discussed.

scholarly journals A comparison of light backscattering and particle size distribution measurements in tropical cirrus clouds

2010 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 4059-4089 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Cairo ◽  
G. Di Donfrancesco ◽  
M. Snels ◽  
F. Fierli ◽  
M. Viterbini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Optical Properties ◽  
Volume Density ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Backscatter Coefficient ◽  
Particle Size Distributions ◽  
Particle Volume ◽  
Total Particle ◽  
Research Aircraft

Abstract. An FSSP-100 Optical Particle Counter designed to count and size particles in the micron range and a backscattersonde that measures in-situ particle optical properties such as backscatter and depolarization ratio, are part of the payload of the high altitude research aircraft M55 Geophysica. This aircraft was deployed in tropical field campaigns in Bauru, Brasil (TROCCINOX, 2004) Darwin, Australia (SCOUT-Darwin, 2005) and Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (SCOUT-AMMA, 2006). In those occasions, measurements of particle size distributions and optical properties within cirrus cloud were performed. Scope of the present work is to assess and discuss the consistency between the particle volume backscatter coefficient observed by the backscattersonde and the same parameter retrieved by optical scattering theory applied to particle size distributions as measured by the FSSP-100. In addition, empirical relationships linking the optical properties measured in-situ by the backscattersonde, which generally can be obtained by remote sensing techniques (LIDAR), and microphysical bulk properties like total particle number, surface and volume density will be presented and discussed.

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