Analysis of aerosol properties derived from sun photometer and lidar over Dunhuang radiometric calibration site

Abstract

Duhuang site has been selected as China Radiation Calibration Site (CRCS) for Remote Sensing Satellite Sensors since 1996. With the economic development of Dunhuang city, the ambient of the radiation calibration field has changed in recent years. Taking into account the key role of aerosol in radiometric calibration, it is essential to investigate the aerosol optical properties over Dunhuang radiometric calibration site. In this paper, the CIMEL sun photometer (CE-318) and Mie-scattering Lidar are simultaneously used to measure aerosol optical properties in Dunhuang site. Data from aerosol-bands of sun photometer are used in a Langley method to determine spectral optical depths of aerosol. And Lidar is utilized to obtain information of vertical profile and integrated aerosol optical depths at different heights. The results showed that the aerosol optical depth at 500 nm wavelength during the in-situ measurement campaigns varied from 0.1 to 0.3 in Dunhuang site. And the observation results also indicated that high aerosol concentration layer mostly located at the height of about 2~4 km. These results implies that the aerosol concentration of atmosphere in Dunhuang was relatively small and suitable for in-flight calibration for remote sensing satellite sensors.