Validation of new satellite aerosol optical depth retrieval algorithm using Raman lidar observations at radiative transfer laboratory in Warsaw

Olga Zawadzka,Anca Nemuc,Iwona S Stachlewska,Kerstin Stebel,Krzysztof M Markowicz

doi:10.1051/epjconf/201817604008

Abstract

During an exceptionally warm September of 2016, the unique, stable weather conditions over Poland allowed for an extensive testing of the new algorithm developed to improve the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) aerosol optical depth (AOD) retrieval. The development was conducted in the frame of the ESA-ESRIN SAMIRA project. The new AOD algorithm aims at providing the aerosol optical depth maps over the territory of Poland with a high temporal resolution of 15 minutes. It was tested on the data set obtained between 11-16 September 2016, during which a day of relatively clean atmospheric background related to an Arctic airmass inflow was surrounded by a few days with well increased aerosol load of different origin. On the clean reference day, for estimating surface reflectance the AOD forecast available on-line via the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) was used. The obtained AOD maps were validated against AODs available within the Poland-AOD and AERONET networks, and with AOD values obtained from the PollyXT-UW lidar. of the University of Warsaw (UW).

Highlights

Despite considerable improvements in the past decades, Europe is still far from achieving levels of air quality that do not pose unacceptable hazards to humans and the environment
The obtained Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) values were validated against the generation PollyXT-University of Warsaw (UW) lidar in Warsaw [3,4], as well as by using the AOD data sets available within the Polish aerosol network Poland-AOD and AERONET
The surface properties are estimated during relatively cloud free reference days with a low AOD (< 0.1 at 500 nm), based on the Top‐Of‐Atmosphere reflectance measured by the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) detector

Summary

Introduction

Despite considerable improvements in the past decades, Europe is still far from achieving levels of air quality that do not pose unacceptable hazards to humans and the environment. Research on the air pollution issue on regional scale, is presently carried out in the frame of ESAESRIN founded project entitled SAtellite based Monitoring Initiative for Regional Air quality (SAMIRA). Through collaborative efforts of Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, and Norway, countries confronted with different but pressing air quality problems, the SAMIRA aims at both to support national monitoring obligations and to generate novel research in this area. In SAMIRA, the most relevant pollutants are being addressed; NO2, SO2, particulate matter PM2.5 and PM10, as well as Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD). The latter can be directly retrieved or indirectly estimated from existing satellites sensors. The obtained AOD values were validated against the generation PollyXT-UW lidar in Warsaw [3,4], as well as by using the AOD data sets available within the Polish aerosol network Poland-AOD (http://www.polandaod.pl/) and AERONET (https://aeronet.gsfc.nasa.gov/)

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