Elevated Aerosol Layers Research Articles

On the improvement of NO<sub>2</sub> satellite retrievals – aerosol impact on the airmass factors

Abstract. The accurate determination of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) tropospheric vertical columns from satellite measurements depends strongly on the airmass factor (AMF) used. A sensitivity study was performed with the radiative transfer model SCIATRAN to better understand the impact of aerosols on the calculation of NO2 AMFs. This influence was studied by varying the NO2 and aerosol vertical distributions, as well as physical and optical properties of the particles. In terms of aerosol definitions, the key factors for these calculations were identified as the relation between trace gas and aerosol vertical profiles, the optical depth of the aerosol layer, and single scattering albedo. In addition, surface albedo also has a large impact on the calculations. Overall it was found that particles mixed with the trace gas increases the measurements' sensitivity, but only when the aerosol is not very absorbing. The largest change, a factor of ~2 relative to the situation without aerosols, was found when a low layer of aerosol (600 m) was combined with a homogenous NO2 layer of 1.0 km. A layer of aerosol above the NO2 usually reduces the sensitivity of the satellite measurement. This situation is found mostly for runs with discrete elevated aerosol layers (representative for long-range transport) that can generate a decrease of the AMF values of up to 70%. The use of measured aerosol profiles and modelled NO2 resulted, generally, in much smaller changes of AMF relative to the pure Rayleigh case. Exceptions are some events of elevated layers with high aerosol optical depth that lead to a strong decrease of the AMF values. These results highlight the importance of aerosols in the retrieval of tropospheric NO2 columns from space and indicate the need for detailed information on aerosol properties and vertical distribution.

Vertical distribution of aerosols over the east coast of India inferred from airborne LIDAR measurements

Abstract. The information on altitude distribution of aerosols in the atmosphere is essential in assessing the impact of aerosol warming on thermal structure and stability of the atmosphere. In addition, aerosol altitude distribution is needed to address complex problems such as the radiative interaction of aerosols in the presence of clouds. With this objective, an extensive, multi-institutional and multi-platform field experiment (ICARB-Integrated Campaign for Aerosols, gases and Radiation Budget) was carried out under the Geosphere Biosphere Programme of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO-GBP) over continental India and adjoining oceans during March to May 2006. Here, we present airborne LIDAR measurements carried out over the east Coast of the India during the ICARB field campaign. An increase in aerosol extinction (scattering + absorption) was observed from the surface upwards with a maximum around 2 to 4 km. Aerosol extinction at higher atmospheric layers (>2 km) was two to three times larger compared to that of the surface. A large fraction (75–85%) of aerosol column optical depth was contributed by aerosols located above 1 km. The aerosol layer heights (defined in this paper as the height at which the gradient in extinction coefficient changes sign) showed a gradual decrease with an increase in the offshore distance. A large fraction (60–75%) of aerosol was found located above clouds indicating enhanced aerosol absorption above clouds. Our study implies that a detailed statistical evaluation of the temporal frequency and spatial extent of elevated aerosol layers is necessary to assess their significance to the climate. This is feasible using data from space-borne lidars such as CALIPSO, which fly in formation with other satellites like MODIS AQUA and MISR, as part of the A-Train constellation.

Spatial and vertical heterogeneities in aerosol properties over oceanic regions around India: Implications for radiative forcing

AbstractThe influence of atmospheric aerosols on Earth's radiation budget and hence climate, though well recognized and extensively investigated in recent years, remains largely uncertain mainly because of the large spatio‐temporal heterogeneity and the lack of data with adequate resolution. To characterize this diversity, a major multi‐platform field campaign ICARB (Integrated Campaign for Aerosols, gases and Radiation Budget) was carried out during the pre‐monsoon period of 2006 over the Indian landmass and surrounding oceans, which was the biggest such campaign ever conducted over this region. Based on the extensive and concurrent measurements of the optical and physical properties of atmospheric aerosols during ICARB, the spatial distribution of aerosol radiative forcing was estimated over the entire Bay of Bengal (BoB), northern Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea (AS) as well as large spatial variations within these regions. Besides being considerably lower than the mean values reported earlier for this region, our studies have revealed large differences in the forcing components between the BoB and the AS. While the regionally averaged aerosol‐induced atmospheric forcing efficiency was 31 ± 6 W m−2 τ−1 for the BoB, it was only ∼18 ± 7 W m−2 τ−1 for the AS. Airborne measurements revealed the presence of strong, elevated aerosol layers even over the oceans, leading to vertical structures in the atmospheric forcing, resulting in significant warming in the lower troposphere. These observations suggest serious climate implications and raise issues ranging from the impact of aerosols on vertical thermal structure of the atmospheric and hence cloud formation processes to monsoon circulation. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society

Continuous Observations of Aerosol Profiles with a Two-Wavelength Mie-Scattering Lidar in Guangzhou in PRD2006

Abstract Continuous lidar observation was performed in Guangzhou, China, in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) observation campaign in July 2006 (PRD2006), using a two-wavelength Mie-scattering lidar (532 and 1064 nm) with a depolarization measurement channel at 532 nm. The profiles of the extinction coefficients at 532 nm were derived using the two-wavelength method. The planetary boundary layer (PBL) height and the cloud-base height were derived from the signals at 1064 nm. Two air pollution episodes occurred during the campaign, one on 10–12 July and the other on 22–24 July. Two events with a typhoon-driven flow of northern air occurred on 15 and 25 July. Elevated aerosol layers were observed at 1 km above ground level on 12 July and on 22 and 23 July. This layer was also observed by the lidar aboard the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite (CALIPSO) at 0200 LT 23 July 2006 near Guangzhou. The distribution observed by CALIPSO and trajectory analysis revealed that the layer was probably generated within the PRD region. The time–height indication of the ground-based lidar suggested that aerosols in the elevated layer were transported to the ground by convection when the PBL height reached the elevated layer. The surface concentration of elemental carbon also exhibited a corresponding increase. The air pollution index at Guangzhou, Shaoguan, Changsha, and other cities indicated temporal variations, implying the regional transport of air pollution in the typhoon episodes. Trajectory analysis indicated that an air mass from the north arrived after 24 July in the air pollution episode of 22–25 July 2006.

Optical and Physical Properties of Atmospheric Aerosols over the Bay of Bengal during ICARB

Abstract Simultaneous and collocated measurements of total and hemispherical backscattering coefficients (σ and β, respectively) at three wavelengths, mass size distributions, and columnar spectral aerosol optical depth (AOD) were made onboard an extensive cruise experiment covering, for the first time, the entire Bay of Bengal (BoB) and northern Indian Ocean. The results are synthesized to understand the optical properties of aerosols in the marine atmospheric boundary layer and their dependence on the size distribution. The observations revealed distinct spatial and spectral variations of all the aerosol parameters over the BoB and the presence of strong latitudinal gradients. The size distributions varied spatially, with the majority of accumulation modes decreasing from north to south. The scattering coefficient decreased from very high values (resembling those reported for continental/urban locations) in the northern BoB to very low values seen over near-pristine environments in the southeastern BoB. The average mass scattering efficiency of BoB aerosols was found to be 2.66 ± 0.1 m2 g−1 at 550 nm. The spectral dependence of columnar AOD deviated significantly from that of the scattering coefficients in the northern BoB, implying vertical heterogeneity in the aerosol type in that region. However, a more homogeneous scenario was observed in the southern BoB. Simultaneous lidar and in situ measurements onboard an aircraft over the ocean revealed the presence of elevated aerosol layers of enhanced extinction at altitudes of 1 to 3 km with an offshore extent of a few hundred kilometers. Back-trajectory analyses showed these layers to be associated with advection from west Asia and western India. The large spatial variations and vertical heterogeneity in aerosol properties, revealed by the present study, need to be included in the regional radiative forcing over the Bay of Bengal.

Inferring the composition and concentration of aerosols by combining AERONET and MPLNET data: Comparison with other measurements and utilization to evaluate GCM output

In this work we demonstrate a method to derive the concentration of aerosol components from the spectral measurements of AOD (aerosol optical depth) and single scattering albedo along with their size distribution and extinction profile available from AERONET (Aerosol Robotic Network) and MPLNET (Micro‐pulse Lidar Network) stations. The technique involves finding the best combination of aerosol concentration by minimizing differences between measured and calculated values of aerosol parameters such as AOD, single scattering albedo, and size distribution. We applied this technique over selected sites in three different regions of the United States (West coast, Great Plains, and North‐East). Our results are then compared with the measured concentration of aerosol components available from IMPROVE (Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments) and EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) network, as well as two different versions of the GFDL (Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory) General Circulation Model AM2 with online and offline aerosols. In general, concentrations retrieved by our technique compare well with the ground‐based measurements, but there are some discrepancies possibly due to the inherent differences in temporal and spatial scales of data averaging or some of the assumptions made in our study. Over continental North America, the online version of AM2 appears to overestimate sulfate concentration approximately by a factor of two and underestimate organic carbon by nearly the same amount. Results of our sensitivity study show that the errors in the retrieval of black carbon and sulfate concentrations could be as high as 100% when there is a large bias of ∼0.05 in the reference values of single scattering albedo under high AOD (≥0.5 at 0.44 μm) conditions. Knowledge on the vertical distribution of aerosols is crucial for an accurate retrieval of surface concentration of aerosols. We also determine the composition and concentration of elevated aerosol layers using this technique.

Aerosol Remote Sensing over Clouds Using A-Train Observations

Abstract The detection of aerosol above clouds is critical for the estimate of both the aerosol and cloud radiative impacts. In this study, the authors present a new method to retrieve the aerosol properties over clouds that uses the multiangle polarization measurements of the Polarization and Directionality of Earth Reflectances (POLDER)–Polarization and Anisotropy of Reflectances for Atmospheric Sciences Coupled with Observations from a Lidar (PARASOL) instrument. The method is illustrated and applied to a case study exploiting the coincident observations from other passive and active sensors of the NASA A-Train satellite constellation. The case study is relative to an elevated biomass burning aerosol layer that originates from southern Africa and is then transported over low-level clouds extending over the Atlantic Ocean. It is shown that the comparison between the cloud-top heights retrieved with the different passive techniques developed for the A-Train sensors can be used to detect the presence of aerosols above clouds. The analysis of the PARASOL observations showed that the aerosols significantly affect the polarized light reflected by the clouds over the 80°–120° scattering angle range and in the rainbow region. A single scattering model permitted the reproduction of the polarization observations and the retrieval of an estimate of the aerosol layer optical thickness of 0.225 at 0.865 μm. The retrieved aerosol optical thicknesses over clouds agree quantitatively with the closest ones retrieved over clear-sky ocean (±0.04 as a maximum departure), demonstrating the value of the method. This innovative technique based solely on passive measurements is expected to provide a better understanding of aerosol properties in regions where significant cloud cover usually prevents the retrieval of aerosol optical thickness. As such, this new retrieval method can provide significant and valuable information about the radiative impact of clouds and aerosols, especially where they can potentially interact strongly with each other.

Comparison of Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) Derived from Ground-Based LIDAR and MODIS

The performance and application of AOD products from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) are studied by comparing with the AOD derived from the ground-based Doppler LIDAR inside the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA). The backscattered power data of the LIDAR are used to determine the extinction coefficient profile, from which the AOD is calculated. The AOD determined from the LIDAR is found to have good quality by comparing with the AOD measurements from a hand-held sun photometer at HKIA over a period of three months, and as such it is used to study the quality of AOD estimated from MODIS. The 1-km resolution AOD product from MODIS is found to have better correlation with the LIDAR AOD in comparison to the 10-km resolution product. Moreover, since AOD is a column-integrated quantity, its application to the monitoring of the surface visibility changes should be made with caution during the presence of elevated layers of higher aerosol concentrations. Examples of the effects of such elevated aerosol layers are studied.

Investigations of an intense aerosol loading during 2007 cyclone SIDR – A study using satellite data and ground measurements over Indian region

Tropical cyclones are prominent weather systems characterized by high atmospheric pressure gradients and wind speeds. Intense tropical cyclones occur in India during the pre-monsoon (spring), early monsoon (early summer), or post-monsoon (fall) periods. Originating in both the Bay of Bengal (BoB) and the Arabian Sea (AS), these tropical cyclones often attain velocities of more than 100 km h −1 and are notorious for causing intense rain and storm surge as they cross the Indian coast. In this study, we examine the changes in the aerosol properties associated with an intense tropical cyclone “SIDR”, that occurred during 11–16 November 2007 over BoB. This cyclone, accompanied with very strong surface winds reaching 223 km h −1, caused extensive damage over Bangladesh. Ground-based measurements of Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) in the neighboring urban environment of Hyderabad, India, showed significant variations due to changes in wind velocity and direction associated with the cyclone passage. The Terra-MODIS and AVHRR satellite images showed prevalence of dust particles mixed with emissions from anthropogenic sources and biomass-burning AS, while the aerosol loading over BoB was significantly lower. The positive values of Aerosol index (AI) obtained from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) suggested the presence of an elevated aerosol layer over the West coast of India, AS and Thar Desert during and after the cyclone episode. Meteorological parameters from the MM5 mesoscale model were used to study the variations in winds associated with the cyclonic activity. Particulate matter loading over the region during the cyclone period increased by ∼45% with an accompanying decrease in columnar aerosol optical depth. The variations in Angstrom parameters suggested coarse-mode particle loading due to dust aerosols as observed in satellite data.

Vertical structure and horizontal gradients of aerosol extinction coefficients over coastal India inferred from airborne lidar measurements during the Integrated Campaign for Aerosol, Gases and Radiation Budget (ICARB) field campaign

Quantitative estimates of the vertical structure and the spatial gradients of aerosol extinction coefficients have been made from airborne lidar measurements across the coastline into offshore oceanic regions along the east and west coasts of India. The vertical structure revealed the presence of strong, elevated aerosol layers in the altitude region of ∼2−4 km, well above the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL). Horizontal gradients also showed a vertical structure, being sharp with the e−1 scaling distance (D0H) as small as ∼150 km in the well‐mixed regions mostly under the influence of local source effects. Above the ABL, where local effects are subdued, the gradients were much shallower (∼600–800 km); nevertheless, they were steep compared to the value of ∼1500−2500 km reported for columnar AOD during winter. The gradients of these elevated layers were steeper over the east coast of India than over the west coast. Near‐simultaneous radio sonde (Vaisala, Inc., Finland) ascents made over the northern Bay of Bengal showed the presence of convectively unstable regions, first from surface to ∼750–1000 m and the other extending from 1750 to 3000 m separated by a stable region in between. These can act as a conduit for the advection of aerosols and favor the transport of continental aerosols in the higher levels (>2 km) into the oceans without entering the marine boundary layer below. Large spatial gradient in aerosol optical and hence radiative impacts between the coastal landmass and the adjacent oceans within a short distance of <300 km (even at an altitude of 3 km) during summer and the premonsoon is of significance to the regional climate.

The radiative effect of an aged, internally mixed Arctic aerosol originating from lower-latitude biomass burning

Arctic-haze layers and their radiative effects have been investigated previously in numerous studies as they are known to have an impact on the regional climate. In this study, we report on an event of an elevated aerosol layer, notably consisting of high-absorbing soot particles, observed in the European Arctic free troposphere the 2007 April 14 during the ASTAR 2007 campaign. The ca. 0.5 km vertically thick aerosol layer located at an altitude of around 3 km had a particle-size distribution mode around 250 nm diameter. In this study, we quantify the radiative effect aerosol layers have on the Arctic atmosphere by using in situ observations. Measurements of particles size segregated temperature stability using thermal denuders, indicate that the aerosol in the optically active size range was chemically internally mixed. In the plume, maximum observed absorption and scattering coefficients were 3 × 10−6 and 20 × 10−6 m−1, respectively. Observed microphysical and optical properties were used to constrain calculations of heating rates of an internally mixed aerosol assuming two different surface albedos that represent snow/ice covered and open ocean. The average profile resulted in a heating rate in the layer of 0.2 K d−1 for the high-albedo case and 0.15 K d−1 for the low albedo case. This calculated dependence on albedo based on actual observations corroborates previous numerical simulations. The heating within the plume resulted in a measurable signal shown as an enhancement in the temperature of a few tenths of a degree. Although the origin of the aerosol plume could not unambiguously be determined, the microphysical properties of the aerosol had strong similarities with previously reported biomass burning plumes. With a changing climate, short-lived pollutants such as biomass plumes may become more frequent in the Arctic and have important radiative effects at regional scale.

An integrated analysis of lidar observations in association with optical properties of aerosols from a high altitude location in central Himalayas

AbstractIn order to study the aerosol backscatter profiles, a portable micro pulse lidar (MPL) system was installed in the year 2006 at Manora Peak, (29°22′N, 79°27′E, ∼1960 m amsl) Nainital, a high altitude location in the central Himalayas. In the present study the results of observed lidar profiles, columnar aerosol optical depths (AOD) and prevailing meteorology during May 2006 to June 2007 are presented. Although the lidar was operated from a sparsely inhabited free tropospheric site, nevertheless the height distribution of aerosol layers are found to be extended up to the summit of ∼2 km above the ground level (AGL). The backscatter ratio (BSR) varies from ∼10 to ∼20 having lowest values during post‐monsoon and highest during pre‐monsoon period. The observed boundary layer height during the post monsoon was shallower to the pre‐monsoon period. Occasionally the lidar profiles reveal the presence of cirrus clouds at an altitude of 8–10 km AGL. The extended lidar observations over Manora Peak not only provided the profiles of aerosol extinction coefficient but also significantly substantiate the elevated aerosol layers and clouds, which are important in the study of climate modelling. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society

Spatial distribution of aerosols in the Inn Valley atmosphere during wintertime

This study analyzes the structure of the wintertime boundary layer in an Alpine valley (Inn Valley, Austria) for a case of high air pollution. We present airborne aerosol observations collected with particle counters and a backscatter lidar. The effect of upslope winds on the spatial distribution of pollutants is investigated. An asymmetry in the aerosol distribution is observed in the cross-valley direction which presumably is related to differences in orientation and albedo of the two valley slopes. A one-sided thermal circulation, which develops above the sun-exposed slope, is most likely responsible for the observed redistribution of aerosols during daytime. Elevated aerosol layers form at the height of shallow inversion layers. Despite this vertical transport of pollutants by slope winds, no effective vertical venting of the polluted air mass into the free atmosphere can be achieved.

Efficient calculation of intensity and polarization spectra in vertically inhomogeneous scattering and absorbing atmospheres

We present a method for the efficient calculation of moderate‐ and high‐resolution spectra of intensity and polarization in absorption bands. This linear‐k method explicitly accounts for the vertical distribution of the absorption optical thickness by using a linear approximation. It can be applied to any radiative transfer model that calculates the intensity (vector) and its derivatives with respect to the absorption optical thickness in different altitude layers of the model atmosphere. For the three spectral windows of the Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO), the error on the modeled intensity introduced by the linear‐k method is below 0.13% for the O2‐A band, below 0.06% in the weak CO2 band, and below 0.12% for the strong CO2 band, for an aerosol type dominated by coarse mode particles with an aerosol optical thickness (AOT) of 0.3 at the O2‐A band (the maximum AOT for which OCO retrievals are intended to be performed), and a typical aerosol height distribution with most aerosols located in the boundary layer. For these accuracies the computational effort is reduced by two orders of magnitude compared to line‐by‐line calculations. A sensitivity study with synthetic OCO measurements shows that the linear‐k method introduces a small error of 0.025–0.20 ppm on the retrieved profile weighted mean CO2 mixing ratio, for a boundary layer dominated aerosol distribution, and 0.050–0.50 ppm for an elevated aerosol layer between 5 and 6 km. In most cases the error is considerably smaller than the retrieval noise.

Long-range transport of aerosols from agriculture crop residue burning in Indo-Gangetic Plains—A study using LIDAR, ground measurements and satellite data

Agriculture crop residue burning in tropics is an important source of atmospheric aerosols and monitoring their long-range transport is an important element in climate change studies. Synchronous measurements using micro-pulsed lidar, MICROTOPS-II sun photometer, multi-filter rotating shadow band radiometer (MFRSR) on aerosol optical depth and ground reaching solar irradiance were carried at an urban location in central region of India. Aerosol backscatter profiles obtained from micro-pulse lidar showed elevated aerosol layers up to ∼3 km on certain days during October 2007. Satellite data observations on aerosol properties suggested transport of particles from agriculture crop residue burning in Indo-Gangetic Plains over large regions. Radiative forcing of aerosols estimated from SBDART model with input information on aerosol chemical properties, aerosol optical depth and single scattering albedo and broadband solar irradiance measurements using MFRSR showed good correlation ( R=0.98).

Climate implications of large warming by elevated aerosol over India

Wide‐ranging multi‐platform data from a major field campaign conducted over Indian region was used to estimate the energy absorbed in ten layers of the atmosphere. We found that during pre‐monsoon season, most of Indian region is characterized by elevated aerosol layers. Three‐fold increase in aerosol extinction coefficient was observed at higher atmospheric layers (>2 km) compared to that near the surface and a substantial fraction (as much as 50 to 70%) of aerosol optical depth was found contributed by aerosols above (reflecting) clouds. Consequent absorption and hence strong warming above clouds was found larger by several degrees (K) compared to that near the surface. The aerosol‐induced elevated warming was mostly confined below 2 km over northern Indian Ocean while found up to 4 km over central India, thus exhibiting strong meridional gradients (∼4 K) at atmospheric levels above 2 km. Climate implications of the large elevated warming are discussed.

Asymmetry parameters in the lower troposphere derived from aircraft measurements of aerosol scattering coefficients over tropical India

Aerosol scattering coefficients (total βsca and backscatter βbacksca) are measured on board an aircraft using an integrating nephelometer at 450, 550, and 700 nm in the 0 to 3000‐m region over four locations in India in an air campaign held during March–May 2006. βsca is a factor of two higher in the east (Bhubaneshwar, Chennai) than in the west (Trivandrum, Goa). βsca is about 5–10 × 10−5 m−1 over Bhubaneshwar and Chennai. βbacksca is about an order of magnitude lower than βsca. Seven‐day air back trajectory analysis indicate that air masses originating from arid/semiraid regions, continents, and marine regions are found to influence the aerosol characteristics, in addition to local urban sources. No elevated aerosol layers are seen during the campaign. b, the aerosol backscatter fraction, is greater than 0.13 in the lower troposphere. The columnar mean Ångström exponent (α) is >1.75. Asymmetry parameter g profiles are derived for the first time over India in the lower troposphere, using the relation between b and g. 550‐nm g corresponding to 30% RH is in the 0.3–0.6 range over India. Higher b, higher α, and lower g values over these locations suggest the dominance of submicron aerosols during the campaign. Scattering aerosols corrected to 30% RH in the 0 to 3000‐m altitude region contribute about 20–35% to MODIS aerosol optical depths (AODs). The variation in the contribution of scattering aerosols to AODs highlights the spatial and vertical differences in aerosol properties.

Analysis of aerosol vertical distribution and variability in Hong Kong

Aerosol vertical distribution is an important piece of information to improve aerosol retrieval from satellite remote sensing. Aerosol extinction coefficient profile and its integral form, aerosol optical depth (AOD), as well as atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) height and haze layer height can be derived using lidar measurements. In this paper, we used micropulse lidar measurements acquired from May 2003 to June 2004 to illustrate seasonal variations of AOD and ABL height in Hong Kong. On average, about 64% of monthly mean aerosol optical depths were contributed by aerosols within the mixing layer (with a maximum (∼76%) in November and a minimum (∼55%) in September) revealing the existence of large abundance of aerosols above ABL due to regional transport. The characteristics of seasonal averaged aerosol profiles over Hong Kong in the study period are presented to illustrate seasonal phenomena of aerosol transport and associated meteorological conditions. The correlation between AOD and surface extinction coefficient, as found, is generally poor (r2 ∼0.42) since elevated aerosol layers increase columnar aerosol abundance but not extinction at surface. The typical aerosol extinction profile in the ABL can be characterized by a low value near the surface and values increased with altitude reaching the top of ABL. When aerosol vertical profile is assumed, surface extinction coefficient can be derived from AOD using two algorithms, which are discussed in detail in this paper. Preliminary analysis showed that better estimates of the extinction coefficient at the ground level could be obtained using two‐layer aerosol extinction profiles (r2 ∼0.78, slope ∼0.82, and intercept ∼0.15) than uniform profiles of extinction with height within the ABL (r2 ∼0.65, slope ∼0.27, and intercept ∼0.03). The improvement in correlation is promising on mapping satellite retrieved AOD to surface aerosol extinction coefficient for urban and regional environmental studies on air quality related issues.

Lidar observation of aerosol stratification in the lower troposphere over Pune during pre-monsoon season of 2006

Lidar observations of aerosol vertical distributions in the lower troposphere along with observations of horizontal and vertical winds from collocated UHF radar (Wind Profiler) over a tropical Indian station, Pune during the pre-monsoon season (March–May) of 2006 as part of an ISRO-GBP national campaign (ICARB) have been examined. Lidar vertical profiles showed high aerosol concentrations in the surface layers and a subsequent gradual decrease with height. Results showed the presence of an elevated stratified aerosol layer around 2000–3500m height which persisted throughout the months of March and April. Observed strong vertical gradients in both horizontal and vertical winds in the lower troposphere seem to be a possible cause for the formation of elevated aerosol layers. Further, high daytime temperatures accompanied by dry conditions at the surface help to enhance the aerosol loading in the lower layers over this location.

Elevated Cloud and Aerosol Layer Retrievals from Micropulse Lidar Signal Profiles

Abstract A threshold-based detection algorithm for cloud and aerosol layer heights in elevated micropulse lidar data (0.523 μm) is described. Thresholds for differentiating cloud and aerosol signals from that of the molecular atmosphere are based on the signal uncertainties of the level 1.0 Micropulse Lidar Network (MPLNET) data product. To illustrate the algorithm, data from 1 to 10 June 2003 collected by an MPLNET instrument at the South Pole are discussed for polar stratospheric cloud-height retrievals. Additional tests are run for algorithm sensitivity relative to variable solar background scenes. The algorithm is run at multiple temporal resolutions. Results derived at a base resolution are used to screen attenuation-limited profiles from longer time averages to improve performance. A signal normalization step using a theoretical molecular scattering profile limits the application of the technique in the lower atmosphere for a ground-based instrument. This would not be the case for some nadir-viewing lidars, and the application of the algorithm to airborne and satellite datasets is speculated.