Abstract

A near-real-time automatic detection system, based on the synergy of continuous measurements taken by a ceilometer and a photometer, has been implemented in order to detect lofted atmospheric aerosol layers and estimate the aerosol load. When heavy-loaded conditions are detected (defined by a significant deviation of the optical properties from a 10-year climatology), obtained for aerosol layers above 2500 m, an automatic alert is sent to scientists of the Romanian Lidar Network (ROLINET) to further monitor the event. The Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) back-trajectory calculations are used to establish the possible pollution source. The aerosol transport events are considered to be major when various optical properties provided by the photometer are found outside the climatological values. The aerosol types over the three years for all the events identified revealed that the contribution to the pollution was 31%, 9%, and 60% from marine, dust, and continental types. Considering only the ‘outside climatology limits’ events, the respective contribution was 15%, 12%, and 73% for marine, dust, and continental types, respectively.

Highlights

  • The current values are shown by the black open squares, while the climatological values are shown in color code

  • Comparing with PBL height (PBLH), we found that 24% (10%)

  • The current early detection system is implemented at INOE 2000 in Magurele (Romania)

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Summary

Introduction

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Atmospheric particulate pollution can impact human health and safety and, to a larger extent, the biosphere [1–4]. Loaded aerosol layers in troposphere can affect aviation [5], and when reaching the ground, they can diminish air quality [6], while they affect agriculture areas or important infrastructure [6]. For these reasons, the continuous monitoring of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) is of importance. Extended networks of surface air pollution tracking have been developed (e.g., EEA in Europe, EPA in US, etc.)

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