Lidar observations of volcanic aerosol content in the atmosphere over Tomsk

Abstract

Lidar observations carried out in Tomsk in August 2008 enabled to register the peaks of the back scattering ratio at the altitudes of 8–16 and 18–22 km. The computation of air masses movement trajectories demonstrated that the peaks at the altitudes of 8–16 km correspond to the aerosol layers formed as a result of volcanic eruptions on the Aleutian Islands in July–August 2008. The original software package along with the daily wind speed BADC data and HYSPLIT software with the six-hour GDAS data were used for computations. The periods from the time of eruptions to the time of observations amounted to one or two weeks and more. The verification of results of these computations for these long periods was made on the basis of the satellite data on the sulfur dioxide distribution in the atmosphere after the eruption of the Kasatochi volcano. The computation method applied enabled to simulate the main distribution characteristics of sulfur dioxide pollution areas in the atmosphere within one or two weeks after the eruption.