Abstract
In this work, results of scattering and backscattering coefficients, scattering Ångström exponent (SAE), single scattering albedo (SSA), and asymmetry parameter (g) of atmospheric aerosols are presented. All these parameters were measured during the month of April 2016 in Southern Italy on three different Global Atmosphere Watch observatories in the Central Mediterranean. This is the first time, to our knowledge, that optical aerosol properties were studied at the same time, even if in a brief intensive measurement campaign, at three sites in the South of Italy. In order to obtain a characteristic value for aerosol optical properties, different kinds of particle sources (i.e., dust, marine, and anthropic) have been identified and studied. In the measurement period, one event of a long-range transport of Saharan dust from Northern Africa was observed at all observatories. During the Saharan dust transport event, a minimum value of the SAE (0.69 ± 0.34) and a relatively higher values of SSA were observed. During the dust event, g increased up to 0.69. Marine aerosol contribution and anthropic/urban aerosol intrusion were analysed. From this analysis, SAE average values were 0.70, 0.84, and 1.22, respectively, for dust, marine, and anthropic particles. On the other hand, the SSA minimum value was 0.86 for anthropic particles, and it increased for dust (0.88) and marine (0.93) aerosols. The asymmetry parameter had a limited variability for the three types of aerosol from 0.62 to 0.58, as reported also in literature.
Highlights
Atmospheric aerosols can strongly affect the radiative balance of Earth, both directly by changing scattering and absorption of the solar radiation, and indirectly by influencing cloud albedo and precipitation [1,2,3]
Measurements took place at three different observatories [36], all part of the GAW (Global Atmosphere Watch-World Meteorological Organization) network in South Italy in the Central Mediterranean area. This is the first time, to our knowledge, that optical aerosol properties were studied at the same time, even if in a brief intensive measurement campaign, at three sites in the South of Italy, in the Central Mediterranean
Raw data corresponding to relative humidity greater than 50% were rejected
Summary
Atmospheric aerosols can strongly affect the radiative balance of Earth, both directly by changing scattering and absorption of the solar radiation (long and short-wave), and indirectly by influencing cloud albedo and precipitation [1,2,3]. There are still large uncertainties in global climate forcing assessment [4,5,6,7]. Aerosols influence the atmospheric radiation balance depending on their chemical composition, and microphysical and optical properties, which are characterized by a significantly large scale spatial and temporal variability [5]. In order to improve the forcing effect knowledge of aerosols on climate change, it is very important to study aerosol’s optical properties (e.g., extinction and absorption coefficients, single scattering albedo, and asymmetry parameter) and their temporal and spatial variability. The wavelength dependency of scattering and absorption of radiation by aerosols has been recognized as a powerful tool to distinguish aerosol types [8,9,10,11].
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