Aerosol Complex Refractive Index Research Articles

Estimation of aerosol complex refractive indices for both fine and coarse modes simultaneously based on AERONET remote sensing products

Abstract. Climate change assessment, especially model evaluation, requires a better understanding of complex refractive indices (CRIs) of atmospheric aerosols – separately for both fine and coarse modes. However, the widely used aerosol CRI obtained by the global Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) corresponds to total-column aerosol particles without separation for fine and coarse modes. This paper establishes a method to separate CRIs of fine and coarse particles based on AERONET volume particle size distribution (VPSD), aerosol optical depth (AOD) and absorbing AOD (AAOD). The method consists of two steps. First a multimodal log-normal distribution that best approximates the AERONET VPSD is found. Then the fine and coarse mode CRIs are found by iterative fitting of AERONET AODs to Mie calculations. The numerical experiment shows good performance for typical water-soluble, biomass burning and dust aerosol types, and the estimated uncertainties on the retrieved sub-mode CRIs are about 0.11 (real part) and 78 % (imaginary part). The 1-year measurements at the AERONET Beijing site are processed, and we obtain CRIs of 1.48–0.010i (imaginary part at 440 nm is 0.012) for fine mode particles and 1.49–0.004i (imaginary part at 440 nm is 0.007) for coarse mode particles, for the period of 2014–2015. Our results also suggest that both fine and coarse aerosol mode CRIs have distinct seasonal characteristics; in particular, CRIs of fine particles in winter season are significantly higher than summer due to possible anthropogenic influences.

New approach for the determination of aerosol refractive indices – Part I: Theoretical bases and numerical methodology

The knowledge of aerosol complex refractive indices on wide spectral range with high spectral resolution is important for many research fields and applications. Various combinations of experimental/theoretical/numerical approaches have been employed to determine the optical indices of aerosol particles. However, each approach has its own advantages and limitations that restrict its generalization. This article is first part of a work aimed at proposing a new technique for determining the optical constants of aerosols. Experimentally, the method is based on recording transmittance spectra of an aerosol flow from thermal infrared to UV–visible combined with the size distribution measurements. Herein, we present the theoretical and numerical bases of the algorithm developed to retrieve the imaginary and real parts of refractive indices. This model associates the Mie theory, the single subtractive Kramers-Kronig relations, and the optimal estimation method with an iterative process. In order to quantify the capabilities of the algorithm to retrieve complex refractive indices, inverse calculations are performed from simulated extinction spectra of Quartz particles whose some of optical properties are available in the literature. We have detailed each step of the procedure and performed some comparisons with the most currently employed methods. The impact of experimental accuracy and numerical simulation are investigated in terms of errors, and uncertainties on the retrieved real and imaginary parts of the complex optical index.

基于气溶胶光学特性对武汉黑碳和有机碳的研究

本文利用气溶胶的复折射指数首次反演得到武汉冬季黑碳和有机碳柱质量浓度。根据反演结果，我们得到武汉冬季气溶胶各组分中黑碳和有机碳所占的比例较小，黑碳所占比例均低于2%，有机碳略高于黑碳，所占比例在3%~10%。武汉2010年冬季黑碳的柱质量浓度均值为10.447 mg/m2，有机碳柱质量浓度的均值为25.406 mg/m2；2011年冬季黑碳的柱质量浓度均5.997 mg/m2，有机碳柱质量浓度的均值为15.259 mg/m2。根据BrC/BC的均值2.6，推测观测的气溶胶中含碳组分主要来自汽车尾气排放，与观测站点位于马路旁的实际情况相符。有机碳和黑碳不同的气溶胶复折射指数虚部假定会导致两者浓度的反演结果的不同，利用同步观测的黑碳仪数据，根据敏感性分析结果，得到黑碳的复折射指数假定为1.95/0.79最合理。 In this paper, we retrieved BC and BrC columnar content during winter in Wuhan, based on the aerosol complex refractive index for the first time. We found that BC and BrC accounted respectively for <2% and 3% - 10% of the total aerosol volume. The average columnar mass concentrations of BC and BrC in the winter of 2010 were 10.447 mg/m2 and 25.406 mg/m2, respectively; in the winter of 2011, they were 5.997 mg/m2 and 15.259 mg/m2, respectively. The BrC/BC ratio in Wuhan was about “2.6”, which indicates that the main source of city pollution is large-vehicle emissions caused by heavy traffic. According to the results from the sensitivity study, we suggest setting the complex refractive index of BC as m = 1.95 + 0.79i in Wuhan, to compare data with the synchronous observation of Aethalometer AE-31.

Continental pollution in the Western Mediterranean basin: large variability of the aerosol single scattering albedo and influence on the direct shortwave radiative effect

Abstract. Pollution aerosols strongly influence the composition of the Western Mediterranean basin, but at present little is known on their optical properties. We report in this study in situ observations of the single scattering albedo (ω) of pollution aerosol plumes measured over the Western Mediterranean basin during the TRAQA (TRansport and Air QuAlity) airborne campaign in summer 2012. Cases of pollution export from different source regions around the basin and at different altitudes between ∼ 160 and 3500 m above sea level were sampled during the flights. Data from this study show a large variability of ω, with values between 0.84–0.98 at 370 nm and 0.70–0.99 at 950 nm. The single scattering albedo generally decreases with the wavelength, with some exception associated to the mixing of pollution with sea spray or dust particles over the sea surface. The lowest values of ω (0.84–0.70 between 370 and 950 nm) are measured in correspondence of a fresh plume possibly linked to ship emissions over the basin. The range of variability of ω observed in this study seems to be independent of the source region around the basin, as well as of the altitude and aging time of the plumes. The observed variability of ω reflects in a large variability for the complex refractive index of pollution aerosols, which is estimated to span in the large range 1.41–1.77 and 0.002–0.097 for the real and the imaginary parts, respectively, between 370 and 950 nm. Radiative calculations in clear-sky conditions were performed with the GAME radiative transfer model to test the sensitivity of the aerosol shortwave Direct Radiative Effect (DRE) to the variability of ω as observed in this study. Results from the calculations suggest up to a 50 and 30 % change of the forcing efficiency (FE), i.e. the DRE per unit of optical depth, at the surface (−160/−235 W m−2 τ−1 at 60° solar zenith angle) and at the Top-Of-Atmosphere (−137/−92 W m−2 τ−1) for ω varying between its maximum and minimum value. This induces a change of up to an order of magnitude (+23/+143 W m−2 τ−1) for the radiative effect within the atmosphere.

Perspectives of the Explicit Retrieval of the Complex Refractive Index of Aerosols from Optical Data Taken with Lidar

We developed an explicit approach for the retrieval of the complex refractive index from optical data, i.e. backscatter and extinction coefficients measured with lidar. In this approach we assume that we know the particle size distributions as well as the optical data. On the basis of this approach we carried out numerical simulations in order to test the uncertainty of the retrieval of the complex refractive index in dependence of the combination of extinction and backscatter coefficients, the measurement wavelengths and measurement errors.

Complex refractive index of secondary organic aerosol generated from isoprene/NOx photooxidation in the presence and absence of SO2

AbstractWe report the first measurements of the complex refractive index (RI) at 375, 405, 532, and 781 nm for secondary organic aerosol (SOA) generated from isoprene/NOx photooxidation. At all wavelengths studied, slightly greater real components of the RI were observed for the SOA generated in the absence of SO2 compared with those generated in its presence. Considering the chemical properties, the differences in the oxidation state and/or ratio of particle density to molecular weight of compounds in the SOA are considered to be the main factors determining the real components. The imaginary components at ≤532 nm were found to increase with increasing initial SO2 concentration. The highly conjugated oligomers are suggested to be plausible chromophore candidates. This study suggests that when large amounts of SOA are generated after mixing of isoprene with NOx and SOx, light absorption of these SOAs may compete with that of black carbon, especially at ultraviolet wavelengths.

Sensitivity analysis of single-angle polarization reflectance observed by satellite

Two channels of the Cloud Aerosol Polarimetric Imager, onboard the TanSat-Chinese carbon dioxide observation satellite, are designed to detect the polarization state of radiation reflected by the earth-atmosphere system in a single-viewing angle. Aiming to understand how the earth and atmospheric parameters affect the polarization state of radiation, we conduct a sensitivity analysis of the polarized reflectance at the top of atmosphere (TOA) with respect to the aerosol microphysical parameters, atmospheric profiles, and surface polarization properties. It is found that (1) the TOA polarization reflectance at 0.66 μm is most sensitive to the real part of the aerosol complex refractive index, the mean radius of the fine mode aerosol particles, as well as atmospheric pressure and temperature profiles; (2) the TOA polarization reflectance at 1.64 μm is sensitive to the volume ratio between the coarse mode and fine mode particles as well, but it is not sensitive to atmospheric profiles; and (3) surface polarization properties have a relatively weak influence on the TOA polarization reflectance at both 0.66 and 1.64 μm.

Retrieval of aerosol single-scattering albedo and polarized phase function from polarized sun-photometer measurements for Zanjan's atmosphere

Abstract. The polarized phase function of atmospheric aerosols has been investigated for the atmosphere of Zanjan, a city in northwest Iran. To do this, aerosol optical depth, Ångström exponent, single-scattering albedo, and polarized phase function have been retrieved from the measurements of a Cimel CE 318-2 polarized sun-photometer from February 2010 to December 2012. The results show that the maximum value of aerosol polarized phase function as well as the polarized phase function retrieved for a specific scattering angle (i.e., 60°) are strongly correlated (R = 0.95 and 0.95, respectively) with the Ångström exponent. The latter has a meaningful variation with respect to the changes in the complex refractive index of the atmospheric aerosols. Furthermore the polarized phase function shows a moderate negative correlation with respect to the atmospheric aerosol optical depth and single-scattering albedo (R = −0.76 and −0.33, respectively). Therefore the polarized phase function can be regarded as a key parameter to characterize the atmospheric particles of the region – a populated city in the semi-arid area and surrounded by some dust sources of the Earth's dust belt.

Retrieval of effective complex refractive index from intensive measurements of characteristics of ambient aerosols in the boundary layer

Aerosol complex refractive index (ACRI) has attracted intensive attentions due to its significance in modeling aerosol radiative effects. Determinations of ACRI from surface measurements of aerosol scattering and absorption coefficients as well as number size distributions during June, 2008 based on an iterative Mie algorithm were performed. The aim of our study was to introduce an inversion approach with the merits of high time-resolutions to retrieve the optically effective ACRI, especially its imaginary part. Based on simultaneous measurements of aerosol characteristics, mean ACRI value of 1.50 ( ± 0.34)-i0.025 ( ± 0.015) at 550 nm in Hefei in summer was deducted. The lower imaginary parts with higher single scattering albedos and lower scattering Angstrom exponents were obtained for haze periods compared with nonhaze conditions with similar air-mass back-trajectories, indicating more large and scattering particles contributing to the formation of haze episodes. The derived imaginary parts of ACRI related to agricultural biomass burning were in the range from 0.013 to 0.029 at 550 nm. Significant negative correlations between retrieved imaginary parts of ACRI and measured single scattering albedos indicate that our retrieval approach is a reasonable method for determining the imaginary parts of complex refractive indices of aerosol particles.

Retrieval of aerosol optical and microphysical characteristics according to data of ground-based spectral measurements of direct and scattered solar radiation. Part 1. Testing of algorithm

The ground-based measurements of direct and scattered solar radiation to date serve as the most reliable source of information on the columnar optical and microphysical characteristics of atmospheric aerosols. We suggest an algorithm which combines the iteration retrieval of the optical single-scattering characteristics directly from the data of photometric measurements and the solution of the linear inverse problem which ensures the retrieval of the microstructure of homogeneous aerosol particles and complex refractive index of the aerosol material. Software, developed to make the routine experimental data processing more efficient, is described. Results of algorithm testing on different mono- and multi-component aerosol models are presented.

Absorbing aerosols at high relative humidity: linking hygroscopic growth to optical properties

Abstract. One of the major uncertainties in the understanding of Earth's climate system is the interaction between solar radiation and aerosols in the atmosphere. Aerosols exposed to high humidity will change their chemical, physical, and optical properties due to their increased water content. To model hydrated aerosols, atmospheric chemistry and climate models often use the volume weighted mixing rule to predict the complex refractive index (RI) of aerosols when they interact with high relative humidity, and, in general, assume homogeneous mixing. This study explores the validity of these assumptions. A humidified cavity ring down aerosol spectrometer (CRD-AS) and a tandem hygroscopic DMA (differential mobility analyzer) are used to measure the extinction coefficient and hygroscopic growth factors of humidified aerosols, respectively. The measurements are performed at 80% and 90%RH at wavelengths of 532 nm and 355 nm using size-selected aerosols with different degrees of absorption; from purely scattering to highly absorbing particles. The ratio of the humidified to the dry extinction coefficients (fRHext(%RH, Dry)) is measured and compared to theoretical calculations based on Mie theory. Using the measured hygroscopic growth factors and assuming homogeneous mixing, the expected RIs using the volume weighted mixing rule are compared to the RIs derived from the extinction measurements. We found a weak linear dependence or no dependence of fRH(%RH, Dry) with size for hydrated absorbing aerosols in contrast to the non-monotonically decreasing behavior with size for purely scattering aerosols. No discernible difference could be made between the two wavelengths used. Less than 7% differences were found between the real parts of the complex refractive indices derived and those calculated using the volume weighted mixing rule, and the imaginary parts had up to a 20% difference. However, for substances with growth factor less than 1.15 the volume weighted mixing rule assumption needs to be taken with caution as the imaginary part of the complex RI can be underestimated.

Sources of Error and Uncertainty in the Use of Cavity Ring Down Spectroscopy to Measure Aerosol Optical Properties

The use of cavity ring down spectroscopy to retrieve aerosol complex refractive index from optical property measurements has seen increasing popularity over the past few years. However, few studies have looked at the limit which sources of error and uncertainty inherent in the cavity ring down method place on the accuracy with which the refractive index can be retrieved. In this paper, we consider both experimental sources of error and those which compromise the theoretical models against which measurements are compared, both reviewing previously published work and presenting new data. Our results show that for absolute measurements made using single-cavity instruments, factors such as uncertainty in the length of the ring down cavity occupied by aerosol and the counting efficiency of the CPC can introduce an error of ∼2.5% into the real part of the refractive index retrieved from experiment. This is significantly higher than the typical 1% error quoted in previously published work. We note that due to th...

Simultaneous retrieval of aerosol and cloud properties during the MILAGRO field campaign

Abstract. Estimation of Direct Climate Forcing (DCF) due to aerosols in cloudy areas has historically been a difficult task, mainly because of a lack of appropriate measurements. Recently, passive remote sensing instruments have been developed that have the potential to retrieve both cloud and aerosol properties using polarimetric, multiple view angle, and multi spectral observations, and therefore determine DCF from aerosols above clouds. One such instrument is the Research Scanning Polarimeter (RSP), an airborne prototype of a sensor on the NASA Glory satellite, which unfortunately failed to reach orbit during its launch in March of 2011. In the spring of 2006, the RSP was deployed on an aircraft based in Veracruz, Mexico, as part of the Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations (MILAGRO) field campaign. On 13 March, the RSP over flew an aerosol layer lofted above a low altitude marine stratocumulus cloud close to shore in the Gulf of Mexico. We investigate the feasibility of retrieving aerosol properties over clouds using these data. Our approach is to first determine cloud droplet size distribution using the angular location of the cloud bow and other features in the polarized reflectance. The selected cloud was then used in a multiple scattering radiative transfer model optimization to determine the aerosol optical properties and fine tune the cloud size distribution. In this scene, we were able to retrieve aerosol optical depth, the fine mode aerosol size distribution parameters and the cloud droplet size distribution parameters to a degree of accuracy required for climate modeling. This required assumptions about the aerosol vertical distribution and the optical properties of the coarse aerosol size mode. A sensitivity study was also performed to place this study in the context of future systematic scanning polarimeter observations, which found that the aerosol complex refractive index can also be observed accurately if the aerosol optical depth is larger than roughly 0.8 at a wavelength of (0.555 μm).

Verification of satellite-derived aerosol optical thickness over land with AERONET data

The Meteorological Satellite Center (MSC) of the Japan Meteorological Agency began retrieving aerosol optical thickness over land in March 2007 using the AVHRR/NOAA visible channel. Exact nonspherical scattering with realistic particle shape distribution is fully considered. We compared the MSC optical thickness with AERONET version 1.5 optical thickness at nine AERONET stations in northeastern Asia. Although we found statistically significant correlations at all stations, the dispersions were large, especially at southern stations. We thus examined the samples with large errors at each station to investigate the causes of the errors. The following suggestions were obtained:(1) The MSC optical thickness shows overestimation for severe Yellow Sand events and underestimation for very thick gray haze. This suggests that the absorption property of aerosol particles used in our theoretical calculation is unrealistic. A revision of the complex refractive index of aerosol used in making the look-up table may be required.(2) The influence of small cumuli or cloud edges is seen in the medium range of optical thickness (< ∼2). When cloud-contaminated samples are removed by reference to MODIS high-resolution images, the correlations between the MSC and AERONET optical thickness are notably improved and are as high as 0.6 at the most of the stations. However, systematic underestimations were found at many stations.(3) These underestimations are likely to be caused by the aerosol-free assumption used in the land surface reflectance modelling because the samples on adjacent ocean grids showed excellent correlations and no systematic bias. This is confirmed by the fact that the monthly minimums of optical thickness at AERONET stations show notable positive values.

Size distribution, mass concentration, chemical and mineralogical composition and derived optical parameters of the boundary layer aerosol at Tinfou, Morocco, during SAMUM 2006

During the SAMUM 2006 field campaign in southern Morocco, physical and chemical properties of desert aerosols were measured. Mass concentrations ranging from 30μgm−3 for PM2.5 under desert background conditions up to 300 000μgm−3 for total suspended particles (TSP) during moderate dust storms were measured. TSP dust concentrations are correlated with the local wind speed, whereasPM10 andPM2.5 concentrations are determined by advection from distant sources. Size distributions were measured for particles with diameter between 20 nm and 500μm (parametrizations are given). Two major regimes of the size spectrum can be distinguished. For particles smaller than 500 nm diameter, the distributions show maxima around 80 nm, widely unaffected of varying meteorological and dust emission conditions. For particles larger than 500 nm, the range of variation may be up to one order of magnitude and up to three orders of magnitude for particles larger than 10μm. The mineralogical composition of aerosol bulk samples was measured by X-ray powder diffraction. Major constituents of the aerosol are quartz, potassium feldspar, plagioclase, calcite, hematite and the clay minerals illite, kaolinite and chlorite. A small temporal variability of the bulk mineralogical composition was encountered. The chemical composition of approximately 74 000 particles was determined by electron microscopic single particle analysis. Three size regimes are identified: for smaller than 500 nm in diameter, the aerosol consists of sulphates and mineral dust. For larger than 500 nm up to 50μm, mineral dust dominates, consisting mainly of silicates, and—to a lesser extent—carbonates and quartz. For diameters larger than 50μm, approximately half of the particles consist of quartz. Time series of the elemental composition show a moderate temporal variability of the major compounds. Calcium-dominated particles are enhanced during advection from a prominent dust source in Northern Africa (Chott El Djerid and surroundings). The particle aspect ratio was measured for all analysed particles. Its size dependence reflects that of the chemical composition. For larger than 500 nm particle diameter, a median aspect ratio of 1.6 is measured. Towards smaller particles, it decreases to about 1.3 (parametrizations are given). From the chemical/mineralogical composition, the aerosol complex refractive index was determined for several wavelengths from ultraviolet to near-infrared. Both real and imaginary parts show lower values for particles smaller than 500 nm in diameter (1.55–2.8 × 10−3i at 530 nm) and slightly higher values for larger particles (1.57–3.7 × 10−3i at 530 nm).

Radiative budget in the presence of multi-layered aerosol structures in the framework of AMMA SOP-0

Abstract. This paper presents radiative transfer calculations performed over Niamey in the UV-Visible range over the period 26th January–1st February 2006 during the African Multidisciplinary Monsoon Analysis (AMMA) international program. Climatic effects of aerosols along the vertical column have required an accurate determination of their optical properties, which are presented here for a variety of instrumented platforms: Ultralight aircraft, Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM) research aircraft, AERONET station. Measurements highlighted the presence of a multi-layered structure of mineral dust located below and biomass-burning particles in the more elevated layers. Radiative forcing was affected by both the scattering and absorption effects governed by the aerosol complex refractive index (ACRI). The best agreement between our results and AERONET optical thicknesses, ground-based extinction measurements and NO2 photolysis rate coefficient was found using the synergy between all the instrumented platforms. The corresponding averaged ACRI at 355 nm were 1.53 (±0.04) −0.047i (±0.006) and 1.52 (±0.04) −0.008i (±0.001) for biomass-burning and mineral dust aerosols, respectively. Biomass-burning aerosols were characterized by single-scattering albedo ranging from 0.78 to 0.82 and asymmetry parameter ranging from 0.71 to 0.73. For dust aerosols, single-scattering albedo (asymmetry parameter) ranged from 0.9 to 0.92 (0.73 to 0.75). The solar energy depletion at the surface is shown to be ~−21.2 (±1.7) W/m2 as a daily average. At the TOA, the radiative forcing appeared slightly negative but very close to zero (~−1.4 W/m2). The corresponding atmospheric radiative forcing was found to be ~19.8 (±2.3) W/m2. Mineral dust located below a more absorbing layer act as an increase in surface reflectivity of ~3–4%. The radiative forcing is also shown to be highly sensitive to the optical features of the different aerosol layers (ACRI, optical thickness and aerosol vertical distribution).

Vertical profiles of urban aerosol complex refractive index in the frame of ESQUIF airborne measurements

Abstract. A synergy between lidar, sunphotometer and in situ measurements has been applied to airborne observations performed during the Etude et Simulation de la QUalité de l'air en Ile-de-France (ESQUIF), enabling the retrieval of vertical profiles for the aerosol complex refractive index (ACRI) and single-scattering albedo with a vertical resolution of 200 m over Paris area. The averaged value over the entire planetary boundary layer (PBL) for the ACRI is close to 1.51(±0.02)–i0.017(±0.003) at 532 nm. The single-scattering albedo of the corresponding aerosols is found to be ~0.9 at the same wavelength. A good agreement is found with previous studies for urban aerosols. A comparison of vertical profiles of ACRI with simulations combining in situ measurements and relative humidity (RH) profiles has highlighted a modification in aerosol optical properties linked to their history and the origin of the air mass. The determination of ACRI in the atmospheric column enabled to retrieve vertical profiles of extinction coefficient in accordance with lidar profiles measurements.

Retrieval of Aerosol Complex Refractive Index by Combining Cavity Ring Down Aerosol Spectrometer Measurements with Full Size Distribution Information

Cavity ring down aerosol extinction measurements are combined with size distribution measurements to provide a multi-parameter basis for the retrieval of the aerosol complex refractive index. We show that two distinct size distributions of small particles (< 300 nm) suffice to obtain robust convergence of the Mie theory fit of the extinction function. Experiments are performed both for purely scattering and for absorbing aerosol. Thus this method provides a perspective to use cavity ring down aerosol spectroscopy in field and laboratory measurements that often suffer from low particle concentrations and a lack of large particles.

Retrieval of aerosol complex refractive index from a synergy between lidar, sunphotometer and in situ measurements during LISAIR experiment

Abstract. Particulate pollutant exchanges between the streets and the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL), and their daily evolution linked to human activity were studied in the framework of the LIdar pour la Surveillance de l'AIR (LISAIR) experiment. This program lasted from 10 to 30 May 2005. A synergetic approach combining dedicated active (lidar) and passive (sunphotometer) remote sensors as well as ground based in situ instrumentation (nephelometer, aethalometer and particle sizers) was used to investigate urban aerosol optical properties within Paris. Aerosol complex refractive indices were assessed to be 1.56–0.034 i at 355 nm and 1.59–0.040 i at 532 nm, thus leading to single-scattering albedo values between 0.80 and 0.88. These retrievals are consistent with soot components in the aerosol arising from traffic exhausts indicating that these pollutants have a radiative impact on climate. We also discussed the influence of relative humidity on aerosol properties. A good agreement was found between vertical extinction profile derived from lidar backscattering signal and retrieved from the coupling between radiosounding and ground in situ measurements.

Identification and physical retrieval of dust storm using three MODIS thermal IR channels

In this paper, the dust event on 7 April 2001 in northern China is investigated with three MODIS thermal infrared (IR) bands. It is found that for the dust cloud, the observed 11 μm minus 12 μm brightness temperature difference (BTD) is always negative, while the BTD of 8.5 μm minus 11 μm varies from positive to negative depending on the dust concentration. Based on these distinguishing properties, we develop a dust mask algorithm to identify the dust storm occurrence and spatial extent. The algorithm can be used successfully in both the daytime and nighttime. Using the Mie spherical scattering theory, the thermal radiation transfer through the single dust layer is performed with the widely used forward model DISTORT. Our calculations show that the dust-like aerosols can well explain the observed BTD although both of the complex refractive index and particle size of aerosols will significantly influence the BTD. When the complex refractive index is fixed (dust-like aerosols in this paper), then the dust optical thickness and effective radii of dust particles can be retrieved from the brightness temperature (BT) of the 11 μm channel and the BTD of 11 μm minus 12 μm channels, respectively. The integral dust column density can also be derived from the retrieved dust optical thickness and effective radius.