Differences In Aerosol Optical Depth Research Articles

Evaluation of the new ESR network software for the retrieval of direct sun products from CIMEL CE318 and PREDE POM01 sun-sky radiometers

Abstract. The European Skynet Radiometers network (EuroSkyRad or ESR) has been recently established as a research network of European PREDE sun-sky radiometers. Moreover, ESR is federated with SKYNET, an international network of PREDE sun-sky radiometers mostly present in East Asia. In contrast to SKYNET, the European network also integrates users of the CIMEL CE318 sky–sun photometer. Keeping instrumental duality in mind, a set of open source algorithms has been developed consisting of two modules for (1) the retrieval of direct sun products (aerosol optical depth, wavelength exponent and water vapor) from the sun extinction measurements; and (2) the inversion of the sky radiance to derive other aerosol optical properties such as size distribution, single scattering albedo or refractive index. In this study we evaluate the ESR direct sun products in comparison with the AERosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET) products. Specifically, we have applied the ESR algorithm to a CIMEL CE318 and PREDE POM simultaneously for a 4-yr database measured at the Burjassot site (Valencia, Spain), and compared the resultant products with the AERONET direct sun measurements obtained with the same CIMEL CE318 sky–sun photometer. The comparison shows that aerosol optical depth differences are mostly within the nominal uncertainty of 0.003 for a standard calibration instrument, and fall within the nominal AERONET uncertainty of 0.01–0.02 for a field instrument in the spectral range 340 to 1020 nm. In the cases of the Ångström exponent and the columnar water vapor, the differences are lower than 0.02 and 0.15 cm, respectively. Therefore, we present an open source code program that can be used with both CIMEL and PREDE sky radiometers and whose results are equivalent to AERONET and SKYNET retrievals.

Assessment of the Met Office dust forecast model using observations from the GERBILS campaign

AbstractThis paper uses aircraft, ground‐based and satellite observations to assess the performance of Met Office dust forecasts during the Geostationary Earth Radiation Budget Intercomparison of Long‐wave and Short‐wave radiation (GERBILS) campaign. The dust forecasts were produced from a 20 km resolution limited‐area numerical weather prediction configuration of the Met Office Unified Model, based over North Africa. Dust uplift was modelled using two modified versions of the Woodward (2001) dust parametrization scheme. The model produced widespread dust over the Sahara desert in response to synoptically driven strong wind events. The modelled aerosol size distribution and short‐wave optical properties compared well with aircraft in situ measurements and retrievals from the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET). Better size distributions and extinction coefficients were achieved by fixing the emitted dust size distribution rather than attempting to predict this dynamically. The two versions performed similarly compared to observations of other variables. The interaction of dust with short‐wave and long‐wave radiation compared well with aircraft observations when scaled to allow for local differences in Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD). AODs were on average 50–100% too high over south‐western parts of the Sahara but 20–50% too low over the Sahel when compared to AERONET sites, aircraft profile estimates and satellite retrieval products. This implicated excessive dust emission over central parts of the Sahara and insufficient dust emissions from the Bodélé depression and semi‐arid regions on the southern border of the Sahara. These biases were linked to potential errors in wind speed, soil texture, soil moisture and vegetation, and possible limitations in the dust parametrization, such as the lack of an observationally constrained or geomorphologically based preferential source term. Copyright © 2011 Royal Meteorological Society and Crown copyright, the Met Office

Aerosol closure study by lidar, Sun photometry, and airborne optical counters during DAMOCLES field campaign at El Arenosillo sounding station, Spain

[1] We present a comparison of aerosol properties derived from in situ and remote sensing instruments during DAMOCLES campaign, aimed at investigating the equivalence between the instrumentation and methodologies employed by several Spanish groups to study atmospheric aerosols at a regional background site. The complete set of instruments available during this closure experiment allowed collecting a valuable high-resolution aerosol measurement data set. The data set was augmented with airborne in situ measurements carried out in order to characterize aerosol particles during the midday of 29 June 2006. This work is focused on aerosol measurements using different techniques of high-quality instruments (ground-based remote sensing and aircraft in situ) and their comparisons to characterize the aerosol vertical profiles. Our results indicate that the variability between the detected aerosol layers was negligible in terms of aerosol optical properties and size distributions. Relative differences in aerosol extinction coefficient profiles were less than 20% at 355 and 532 nm and less than 30% at 1064 nm, in the region with high aerosol concentration. Absolute differences in aerosol optical depth (AOD) were below 0.01 at 532 and 1064 nm and less than 0.02 at 355 nm, less than the uncertainties assumed in the AOD obtained from elastic lidar. Columnar values of the lidar ratio revealed some discrepancies with respect to the in situ aircraft measurements, caused fundamentally by the lack of information in the lowest part of the boundary layer.

Some implications of sampling choices on comparisons between satellite and model aerosol optical depth fields

Abstract. The comparison of satellite and model aerosol optical depth (AOD) fields provides useful information on the strengths and weaknesses of both. However, the sampling of satellite and models is very different and some subjective decisions about data selection and aggregation must be made in order to perform such comparisons. This work examines some implications of these decisions, using GlobAerosol AOD retrievals at 550 nm from Advanced Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR) measurements, and aerosol fields from the GEOS-Chem chemistry transport model. It is recommended to sample the model only where the satellite flies over on a particular day; neglecting this can cause regional differences in model AOD of up to 0.1 on monthly and annual timescales. The comparison is observed to depend strongly upon thresholds for sparsity of satellite retrievals in the model grid cells. Requiring at least 25% coverage of the model grid cell by satellite data decreases the observed difference between the two by approximately half over land. The impact over ocean is smaller. In both model and satellite datasets, there is an anticorrelation between the proportion p of a model grid cell covered by satellite retrievals and the AOD. This is attributed to small p typically occuring due to high cloud cover and lower AODs being found in large clear-sky regions. Daily median AATSR AODs were found to be closer to GEOS-Chem AODs than daily means (with the root mean squared difference being approximately 0.05 smaller). This is due to the decreased sensitivity of medians to outliers such as cloud-contaminated retrievals, or aerosol point sources not included in the model.

Testing aerosol properties in MODIS Collection 4 and 5 using airborne sunphotometer observations in INTEX-B/MILAGRO

Abstract. The 14-channel Ames Airborne Tracking Sunphotometer (AATS) was operated on a Jetstream 31 (J31) aircraft in March 2006 during MILAGRO/INTEX-B (Megacity Initiative-Local And Global Research Observations/Phase B of the Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment). We compare AATS retrievals of spectral aerosol optical depth (AOD) and related aerosol properties with corresponding spatially coincident and temporally near-coincident measurements acquired by the MODIS-Aqua and MODIS-Terra satellite sensors. These comparisons are carried out for the older MODIS Collection 4 (C4) and the new Collection 5 (C5) data set, the latter representing a reprocessing of the entire MODIS data set completed during 2006 with updated calibration and aerosol retrieval algorithm. Our analysis yields a direct, validated assessment of the differences between select MODIS C4 and C5 aerosol retrievals. Our analyses of 37 coincident observations by AATS and MODIS-Terra and 18 coincident observations between AATS and MODIS-Aqua indicate notable differences between MODIS C4 and C5 and between the two sensors. For MODIS-Terra, we find an average increase in AOD of 0.02 at 553 nm and 0.01 or less at the shortwave infrared (SWIR) wavelengths. The change from C4 to C5 results in less good agreement with the AATS derived spectral AOD, with average differences at 553 nm increasing from 0.03 to 0.05. For MODIS-Aqua, we find an average increase in AOD of 0.008 at 553 nm, but an increase of nearly 0.02 at the SWIR wavelengths. The change from C4 to C5 results in slightly less good agreement to the AATS derived visible AOD, with average differences at 553 nm increasing from 0.03 to 0.04. However, at SWIR wavelengths, the changes from C4 to C5 result in improved agreement between MODIS-Aqua and AATS, with the average differences at 2119 nm decreasing from −0.02 to −0.003. Comparing the Angstrom exponents calculated from AOD at 553nm and 855nm, we find an increased rms difference from AATS derived Angstrom exponents in going from C4 to C5 for MODIS-Terra, and a decrease in rms difference, hence an improvement, for the transition from C4 to C5 in MODIS-Aqua. Combining the AATS retrievals with in situ measurements of size-dependent aerosol extinction, we derive a suborbital measure of the aerosol submicron fraction (SMF) of AOD and compare it to MODIS retrievals of aerosol fine mode fraction (FMF). Our analysis shows a significant rms-difference between the MODIS-Terra FMF and suborbitally-derived SMF of 0.17 for both C4 and C5. For MODIS-Aqua, there is a slight improvement in the transition from C4 to C5, with the rms-difference from AATS dropping from 0.23 to 0.16. The differences in MODIS C4 and C5 AOD in this limited data set can be traced to changes in the reflectances input to the aerosol retrievals. An extension of the C4-C5 comparisons from the area along the J31 flight track to a larger study region between 18–23° N and 93–100° W on each of the J31 flight days supports the finding of significant differences between MODIS C4 and C5.

Analysis of the weekly cycle of aerosol optical depth using AERONET and MODIS data

Multi‐year Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aerosol optical depth (AOD) data are used to study AOD weekly variations at the global scale. A clear weekly cycle of AOD is observed in the United States (U.S.) and Central Europe. AOD during the weekday is larger than that during the weekend in 36 out of 43 AERONET sites in the U.S. The average U.S. weekend effect (the percent difference in AOD during the weekday and the weekend) is 3.8%. A weekly periodicity with lower AODs on Sunday and Monday and higher AODs from Wednesday until Saturday is revealed over Central Europe and the average weekend effect there is 4.0%. The weekly cycle in urban sites is greater than that in rural sites. AOD during the weekday is also significantly larger than that during the weekend in urban AERONET sites in South America and South Korea. However, a reversed AOD weekly cycle is observed in the Middle East and India. AODs on Thursday and Friday, the “weekend” for Middle East cultures, are relatively lower than AODs on other days. There is no clear weekly variation of AOD over eastern China. The striking feature in this region is the occurrence of much higher AOD on Sunday and this phenomenon is independent of season. The analysis of MODIS aerosol data is in good agreement with that of AERONET data.

Analysis of the dependence of column-integrated aerosol properties on long-range transport of air masses in Beijing

Daily 500 m above sea level (ASL) 3-day back-trajectories ending in Beijing over 5 years (2001–2005) were computed using hybrid single particle Lagrangian integrated trajectory model (HYSPLIT_4). The dependence of daily aerosol data on long-range transport of air masses was analyzed using back-trajectory analysis. The results showed that the technique was successful at separating aerosol data into physically distinct groups. About 47% of variance in aerosol optical depth (AOD) was explained, except in spring when the value was about 25%. The cleaner nature of northerly and northwesterly transport patterns in comparison to southerly ones, as well as the effect of near-stagnant air masses on air pollution in Beijing was identified. Elevated AODs were generally associated with slowly moving back trajectories, especially for air masses slowly moving from south and east of the site. The AOD differences associated with slowly and fast moving air masses were statistically significant. The higher AOD associated with slowly moving air masses was generally accompanied by higher precipitable water vapor, and aerosols generally had higher single-scattering albedo in comparison with fast moving air masses.

Multi‐grid‐cell validation of satellite aerosol property retrievals in INTEX/ITCT/ICARTT 2004

Aerosol transport off the US Northeast coast during the Summer 2004 International Consortium for Atmospheric Research on Transport and Transformation (ICARTT) Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment (INTEX) and Intercontinental Transport and Chemical Transformation (ITCT) experiments produced a wide range of aerosol types and aerosol optical depth (AOD) values, often with strong horizontal AOD gradients. In these conditions we flew the 14‐channel NASA Ames Airborne Tracking Sun photometer (AATS) on a Jetstream 31 (J31) aircraft. Legs flown at low altitude (usually ≤100 m ASL) provided comparisons of AATS AOD spectra to retrievals for 90 grid cells of the satellite radiometers MODIS‐Terra, MODIS‐Aqua, and MISR, all over the ocean. Characterization of the retrieval environment was aided by using vertical profiles by the J31 (showing aerosol vertical structure) and, on occasion, shipboard measurements of light scattering and absorption. AATS provides AOD at 13 wavelengths λ from 354 to 2138 nm, spanning the range of aerosol retrieval wavelengths for MODIS over ocean (466–2119 nm) and MISR (446–866 nm). Midvisible AOD on low‐altitude J31 legs in satellite grid cells ranged from 0.05 to 0.9, with horizontal gradients often in the range 0.05 to 0.13 per 10 km. When possible, we used ship measurements of humidified aerosol scattering and absorption to estimate AOD below the J31. In these cases, which had J31 altitudes 60–110 m ASL (typical of J31 low‐altitude transects), estimated midvisible AOD below the J31 ranged from 0.003 to 0.013, with mean 0.009 and standard deviation 0.003. These values averaged 6% of AOD above the J31. MISR‐AATS comparisons on 29 July 2004 in 8 grid cells (each ∼17.6 km × 17.6 km) show that MISR versions 15 and 16 captured the AATS‐measured AOD gradient (correlation coefficient R2 = 0.87 to 0.92), but the MISR gradient was somewhat weaker than the AATS gradient. The large AOD (midvisible values up to ∼0.9) and differing gradients in this case produced root‐mean‐square (RMS) MISR‐AATS AOD differences of 0.03 to 0.21 (9 to 31%). MISR V15 Ångstrom exponent α ( = −dlnAOD/dlnλ) was closer to AATS than was MISR V16. MODIS‐AATS AOD comparisons on 8 overpasses using 61 grid cells (each nominally 10 km × 10 km) had R2 ∼ 0.97, with RMS AOD difference ∼0.03 (∼20%). About 87% of the MODIS AOD retrievals differed from AATS values by less than the predicted MODIS over‐ocean uncertainty, Δτ = ±0.03 ± 0.05τ. In contrast to the small MODIS‐AATS differences in AOD, MODIS‐AATS differences in Ångstrom exponent α were large: RMS differences for α(553, 855 nm) were 0.28 for MODIS‐Terra and 0.64 for MODIS‐Aqua; RMS differences for α(855, 2119 nm) were larger still, 0.61 for MODIS‐Terra and 1.14 for MODIS‐Aqua. The largest MODIS‐AATS Ångstrom exponent differences were associated with small AOD values, for which MODIS AOD relative uncertainty is large. Excluding cases with AOD(855 nm) < 0.1 reduced MODIS‐AATS α differences substantially. In one grid cell on 21 July 2004, smoke over cloud appeared to impair the MODIS‐Aqua cloud mask, resulting in retrieved AODs that significantly exceeded AATS values. Experiments with extending MODIS retrievals into the glint mask yielded MODIS AODs consistently less than AATS AODs, especially at long wavelength, indicating that the current MODIS glint mask limits should not be reduced to the extent tried here. The sign of the AOD differences within the glint mask (MODIS AOD < AATS AOD) is consistent with ship‐measured wind speeds there.

Intercomparison of satellite retrieved aerosol optical depth over ocean during the period September 1997 to December 2000

Abstract. Monthly mean aerosol optical depth (AOD) over ocean is compared from a total of 9 aerosol retrievals during a 40 months period. Comparisons of AOD have been made both for the entire period and sub periods. We identify regions where there is large disagreement and good agreement between the aerosol satellite retrievals. Significant differences in AOD have been identified in most of the oceanic regions. Several analyses are performed including spatial correlation between the retrievals as well as comparison with AERONET data. During the 40 months period studied there have been several major aerosol field campaigns as well as events of high aerosol content. It is studied how the aerosol retrievals compare during such circumstances. The differences found in this study are larger than found in a previous study where 5 aerosol retrievals over an 8 months period were compared. Part of the differences can be explained by limitations and deficiencies in some of the aerosol retrievals. In particular, results in coastal regions are promising especially for aerosol retrievals from satellite instruments particularly suited for aerosol research. In depth analyses explaining the differences between AOD obtained in different retrievals are clearly needed. We limit this study to identifying differences and similarities and indicating possible sources that affect the quality of the retrievals. This is a necessary first step towards understanding the differences and improving the retrievals.

Aerosol optical depth measurements by airborne sun photometer in SOLVE II: Comparisons to SAGE III, POAM III and airborne spectrometer measurements

Abstract. The 14-channel NASA Ames Airborne Tracking Sunphotometer (AATS-14) measured solar- beam transmission on the NASA DC-8 during the second SAGE III Ozone Loss and Validation Experiment (SOLVE II). This paper presents AATS-14 results for multiwavelength aerosol optical depth (AOD), including comparisons to results from two satellite sensors and another DC-8 instrument, namely the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment III (SAGE III), the Polar Ozone and Aerosol Measurement III (POAM III) and the Direct-beam Irradiance Airborne Spectrometer (DIAS). AATS-14 provides aerosol results at 13 wavelengths λ spanning the range of SAGE III and POAM III aerosol wavelengths. Because most AATS measurements were made at solar zenith angles (SZA) near 90°, retrieved AODs are strongly affected by uncertainties in the relative optical airmass of the aerosols and other constituents along the line of sight (LOS) between instrument and sun. To reduce dependence of the AATS-satellite comparisons on airmass, we perform the comparisons in LOS transmission and LOS optical thickness (OT) as well as in vertical OT (i.e., optical depth, OD). We also use a new airmass algorithm that validates the algorithm we previously used to within 2% for SZA<90°, and in addition provides results for SZA≥90°. For 6 DC-8 flights, 19 January-2 February 2003, AATS and DIAS results for LOS aerosol OT at λ=400nm agree to ≤12% of the AATS value. Mean and root-mean-square (RMS) differences, (DIAS-AATS)/AATS, are -2.3% and 7.7%, respectively. For DC-8 altitudes, AATS-satellite comparisons are possible only for λ>440nm, because of signal depletion for shorter λ on the satellite full-limb LOS. For the 4 AATS-SAGE and 4 AATS-POAM near-coincidences conducted 19-31 January 2003, AATS-satellite AOD differences were ≤0.0041 for all λ>440nm. RMS differences were ≤0.0022 for SAGE-AATS and ≤0.0026 for POAM-AATS. RMS relative differences in AOD ([SAGE-AATS]/AATS) were ≤33% for λ<~755nm, but grew to 59% for 1020nm and 66% at 1545nm. For λ>~755nm, AATS-POAM differences were less than AATS-SAGE differences, and RMS relative differences in AOD ([AATS-POAM]/AATS) were ≤31% for all λ between 440 and 1020nm. Unexplained differences that remain are associated with transmission differences, rather than differences in gas subtraction or conversion from LOS to vertical quantities. The very small stratospheric AOD values that occurred during SOLVE II added to the challenge of the comparisons, but do not explain all the differences.

Optical coherency of sunphotometry, sky radiometry and lidar measurements during the early phase of Pacific 2001

Passive sunphotometry and sky radiometry data at sites in the Lower Fraser Valley (Langley-Lochiel) and Saturna Island were synchronously acquired with ground-based scanning lidar (Rapid Acquisition Scanning Aerosol Lidar, RASCAL) and airborne lidar (AERosol Imaging Airborne Lidar, AERIAL) during the Pacific 2001 Air Quality Study. The temporal and spatial behavior of these optical measurements is investigated during a pollution event which occurred from 13 to 16 August 2001. A mid-day minimum in lidar-derived extinction to backscatter ratios (Sa) values, was attributed, at least in part, to the relative humidity (RH) induced optical influence of the column integrated fine mode and/or coarse mode particles in the PBL. Systematically larger Sa values predicted by the sunphotometer and sky radiance inversions were hypothesized to be due to differences between the retrieved refractive index and the actual refractive index of the coarse mode. Aerosol optical depth differences were within maximum error bounds (0.02) when comparing the sunphotometry with spatial maps derived from AERIAL transects. Daily temporal trends of optical and microphysical parameters derived from sunphotometry and sky radiance data at this site were consistent with information deduced from the lidar and meteorological data; while the daily aerosol optical depth decrease was clearly associated with particle removal induced by daytime sea-breeze advection, a significant-to-dominant part of this decrease was associated with decreasing RH growth effects on at least one day.

On the sources of bias in aerosol optical depth retrieval in the UV range

In this paper we discuss and evaluate the systematic sources of bias in aerosol optical depth (AOD) values in the UV range due to (1) the entrance of diffuse light into the finite field of view, (2) diurnal atmospheric changes of ozone under urban conditions, (3) the influence of omitting the effect of NO2 absorption, and (4) stray light of a single monochromator. These error sources have been neglected before in Brewer AOD retrieval. However, if these bias estimates are added together, it appears likely that the main reason for the recent results, that is, an AOD wavelength dependency that is in contradiction to the Ångstrom law, lies in the omitted sources of systematic error in the AOD retrieval. For instance, the estimated negative bias in AOD difference between 306.3 and 320.1 nm is ∼0.0772, while between 310.1 and 320.1 nm it is ∼0.0346. If the true Ångstrom α was 1 and the AOD at 320.1 was 0.5, then the actual difference between 306.3 and 320.1 nm would be positive and equal to 0.022, while between 310.1 and 320.1 nm it would be 0.016. Therefore the neglected source of bias can mask this difference and result in a negative Ångstrom exponent (AE) value. In addition to these sources of bias, we also discuss other potential sources of uncertainty that have been previously neglected.

Clear‐column closure studies of aerosols and water vapor aboard the NCAR C‐130 during ACE‐Asia, 2001

Column closure studies are a tool to assess whether in situ and remote measurements of aerosol optical properties on a given aircraft are mutually consistent. In this paper we describe aerosol and water vapor column closure studies on the basis of instrumentation flown aboard the NCAR C‐130 aircraft in the ACE‐Asia field experiment in March–May 2001. For in situ observations, aerosol particles were sampled through a newly designed low‐turbulence inlet (LTI). In 28 profiles extending to altitudes of up to 8 km, the in situ observations of scattering and absorption were compared to measurements with the six‐channel NASA Ames Airborne Tracking Sun photometer (AATS‐6). The comparison of Sun photometer and in situ‐derived layer aerosol optical depth (AOD) at 550 nm showed agreement (closure) within the measurement uncertainties in 25 out of 28 case studies. The average difference in layer AOD derived from the two methods was 0.03, corresponding to an average difference of 11.5%. The uncertainties in AATS‐6‐derived layer AOD ranged between 5 and 59% (with a mean of 22%), and for the first time included an estimate for the uncertainty in layer AOD caused by possible horizontal variability in AOD encountered in the vertical profile. The average uncertainty in AATS‐6‐derived layer AOD due to possible horizontal variability alone was 19%. The uncertainties in in situ‐derived layer AOD were between 10 and 55% (with a mean of 19%). Stratification of the extinction closure data by ambient relative humidity (RH) revealed that in situ‐derived aerosol extinction at low ambient relative humidity (<20% RH) tended to be slightly less than Sun photometer‐derived aerosol extinction, while in situ‐derived aerosol extinction at higher relative humidity was slightly greater than the Sun photometer‐derived values. Stratification of the extinction closure data by the fine mode fraction of scattering indicated a modest enhancement of coarse mode extinction in the combined LTI/plumbing system. Analogous closure studies for layer water vapor and water vapor density showed that AATS‐6 measured these quantities with very high accuracy, with correlation coefficients of 0.989 and 0.955 (rms differences of 10% and 33%), respectively.

Simulation of the aerosol optical depth over Europe for August 1997 and a comparison with observations

A chemical transport model has been extended with an aerosol model describing processes which determine the mass distribution of sulfate, nitrate, ammonium, and aerosol associated water. A specific summer episode is simulated, and the results have been compared to surface concentration measurements and with the aerosol optical depth (AOD) retrieved from satellite measurements, with a focus on the European continent. This study is one of the first to use satellite retrievals over land for this purpose. An average difference in AOD between model and satellite measurements of 0.17–0.19 is calculated, and on average only 40–50% of the observed satellite signal can be explained by our modeled aerosol. In contrast, the observed patterns of optical thickness are well simulated by the model. Also, surface concentrations of simulated aerosol components are in close agreement with measurements. Errors in the vertical distribution of sulfate, ammonium, and nitrate, and hence in the vertical distribution of hygroscopic growth, and errors in modeled optical parameters may partly account for the observed differences in AOD. However, we argue that the most important reason for the large difference is due to the fact that organic and mineral aerosol are not taken into account in this model simulation. A sensitivity study with reduced SO2 emissions in Europe showed that reduction of the emissions of S2 in the model leads to a better agreement with surface measurements of SO2; however, calculated sulfate was less strongly influenced.

Intercomparison of aerosol optical depth measurements in the UVB using Brewer Spectrophotometers and a Li‐Cor Spectrophotometer

The first Iberian UV radiation intercomparison was held at “El Arenosillo”‐Huelva station of the Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespatial (INTA) from September 1 to 10, 1999. During this campaign, seven Brewer spectrophotometers and one Li‐Cor spectrophotometer measured the total column aerosol optical depth (AOD) at 306, 310, 313.5, 316.75 and 320 nm. The AOD calibration of one Brewer was transferred to all other Brewers using one day of intensive measurements. The remaining days were used to observe the stability and reproducibility of the AOD measurements by the different instruments. All Brewer spectrophotometers agreed to within an AOD of 0.03 during the whole measurement campaign. The differences in AOD between the Li‐Cor spectrophotometer and the Brewer spectrophotometers were between −0.07 and +0.02 at 313.5, 316.75, and 320 nm. This investigation demonstrates the possibility of using the existing worldwide Brewer network as a global UV aerosol network for AOD monitoring.