Particle Extinction Coefficient Research Articles

Observations of particle extinction, PM2.5 mass concentration profile and flux in north China based on mobile lidar technique

Fine particle with diameter <2.5 μm (PM2.5) have important direct and indirect effects on human life and activities. However, the studies of fine particle were limited by the lack of monitoring data obtained with multiple fixed site sampling strategies. Mobile monitoring has provided a means for broad measurement of fine particles. In this research, the potential use of mobile lidar to map the distribution and transport of fine particles was discussed. The spatial and temporal distributions of particle extinction, PM2.5 mass concentration and regional transport flux of fine particle in the planetary boundary layer were investigated with the use of vehicle-based mobile lidar and wind field data from north China. Case studies under different pollution levels in Beijing were presented to evaluate the contribution of regional transport. A vehicle-based mobile lidar system was used to obtain the spatial and temporal distributions of particle extinction in the measurement route. Fixed point lidar and a particulate matter sampler were operated next to each other at the University of Chinese Academy of Science (UCAS) in Beijing to determine the relationship between the particle extinction coefficient and PM2.5 mass concentration. The correlation coefficient (R2) between the particle extinction coefficient and PM2.5 mass concentration was found to be over 0.8 when relative humidity (RH) was less than 90%. A mesoscale meteorological model, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, was used to obtain profiles of the horizontal wind speed, wind direction and relative humidity. A vehicle-based mobile lidar technique was applied to estimate transport flux based on the PM2.5 profile and vertical profile of wind data. This method was applicable when hygroscopic growth can be neglected (relatively humidity<90%). Southwest was found to be the main pathway of Beijing during the experiments.

Microphysical characterization of long-range transported biomass burning particles from North America at three EARLINET stations

Abstract. Strong events of long-range transported biomass burning aerosol were detected during July 2013 at three EARLINET (European Aerosol Research Lidar Network) stations, namely Granada (Spain), Leipzig (Germany) and Warsaw (Poland). Satellite observations from MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) and CALIOP (Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization) instruments, as well as modeling tools such as HYSPLIT (Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory) and NAAPS (Navy Aerosol Analysis and Prediction System), have been used to estimate the sources and transport paths of those North American forest fire smoke particles. A multiwavelength Raman lidar technique was applied to obtain vertically resolved particle optical properties, and further inversion of those properties with a regularization algorithm allowed for retrieving microphysical information on the studied particles. The results highlight the presence of smoke layers of 1–2 km thickness, located at about 5 km a.s.l. altitude over Granada and Leipzig and around 2.5 km a.s.l. at Warsaw. These layers were intense, as they accounted for more than 30 % of the total AOD (aerosol optical depth) in all cases, and presented optical and microphysical features typical for different aging degrees: color ratio of lidar ratios (LR532 ∕ LR355) around 2, α-related ångström exponents of less than 1, effective radii of 0.3 µm and large values of single scattering albedos (SSA), nearly spectrally independent. The intensive microphysical properties were compared with columnar retrievals form co-located AERONET (Aerosol Robotic Network) stations. The intensity of the layers was also characterized in terms of particle volume concentration, and then an experimental relationship between this magnitude and the particle extinction coefficient was established.

Analysis of extinction properties as a function of relative humidity using a &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;κ&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;-EC-Mie model in Nanjing

Abstract. The relationship between relative humidity (RH) and extinction properties is of widespread concern. In this study, a hygroscopic parameter (κ) and the volume fraction of elemental carbon (EC) were used to characterize the chemical characteristics of particles, and a core-shell model was built based on these characteristics. The size distribution, chemical composition, and RH were measured in Nanjing from 15 October to 13 November 2013. The model-derived extinction coefficients of particles were fit with the program of coated spheres according to Bohren and Huffman (2008) (BHCOAT), and the modeled values correlated well with the measurement-derived extinction coefficients (r2 = 0. 81), which suggested that the core-shell model produced reasonable results. The results show that more than 81 % of the extinction coefficient in Nanjing was due to particles in the 0.2–1.0 µm size range. Under dry conditions, the higher mass fraction of particles in the 0.2–1.0 µm size range caused the higher extinction coefficient. An increase in RH led to a significant increase in the extinction coefficient, although the increases differed among the different size segments. For λ = 550 nm, the extinction coefficient from the 0.01–0.2, 0.2–0.5, and 1.0–2.0 µm size ranges increased significantly with the increase in RH, whereas the extinction contributions from the 0.5–1.0 and 2.0–10.0 µm size ranges to the extinction coefficient decreased slightly.

Optical and hygroscopic properties of Asian dust particles based on a horizontal Mie lidar: case study at Hefei, China

As an extension of the Mie lidar technique to measure the extinction coefficient of the surface particles, a horizontally pointing Mie lidar is used for determining the optical properties of Asian dust, which is an approach without knowing the actual lidar ratio. A long lasting dust event is observed based on this approach in May 2014. The “no dust,” “pure dust,” and “polluted dust” stage is observed during this event, and their optical and hygroscopic properties are discussed. Some new optical and hygroscopic features are observed, which benefit from the quantitative, multi-wavelength, and continuous measurement of the extinction related optical properties of dust particles.

Extreme dust storm over the eastern Mediterranean in September 2015: satellite, lidar, and surface observations in the Cyprus region

Abstract. A record-breaking dust storm originating from desert regions in northern Syria and Iraq occurred over the eastern Mediterranean in September 2015. In this contribution of a series of two articles (part 1, observations; part 2, atmospheric modeling), we provide a comprehensive overview of the aerosol conditions during this extreme dust outbreak in the Cyprus region. These observations are based on satellite observations (MODIS, moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer) of aerosol optical thickness (AOT) and Ångström exponent, surface particle mass (PM10) concentrations measured at four sites in Cyprus, visibility observations at three airports in southern Cyprus and corresponding conversion products (particle extinction coefficient, dust mass concentrations), EARLINET (European Aerosol Research Lidar Network) lidar observations of dust vertical layering over Limassol, particle optical properties (backscatter, extinction, lidar ratio, linear depolarization ratio), and derived profiles of dust mass concentrations. Maximum 550 nm AOT exceeded values of 5.0, according to MODIS, and the mass loads were correspondingly &gt; 10 g m−2 over Larnaca and Limassol during the passage of an extremely dense dust front on 8 September 2015. Hourly mean PM10 values were close to 8000 µg m−3 and the observed meteorological optical range (visibility) was reduced to 300–750 m at Larnaca and Limassol. The visibility observations suggest peak values of the near-surface total suspended particle (TSP) extinction coefficients of 6000 Mm−1 and thus TSP mass concentrations of 10 000 µg m−3. The Raman polarization lidar observations mainly indicated a double layer structure of the dust plumes (reaching to about 4 km height), pointing to at least two different dust source regions. Dust particle extinction coefficients (532 nm) already exceeded 1000 Mm−1 and the mass concentrations reached 2000 µg m−3 in the elevated dust layers on 7 September, more than 12 h before the peak dust front on 8 September reached the Limassol lidar station around local noon. Typical Middle Eastern dust lidar ratios around 40 sr were observed in the dense dust plumes. The particle depolarization ratio decreased from around 0.3 in the lofted dense dust layers to 0.2 at the end of the dust period (11 September), indicating an increasing impact of anthropogenic haze.

Improved transmission method for measuring the optical extinction coefficient of micro/nano particle suspensions.

Extinction coefficients are fundamental for analyzing radiative transport in micro/nano particle suspensions. In the traditional transmission method for measuring the extinction coefficient of particles in a cuvette, a reference system is used to compensate for the influence of the cuvette and base fluid. However, the multiple reflections and refractions between the air-glass and liquid-glass interfaces cannot be sufficiently eliminated by using the reference system, and the induced measurement error increases significantly with increasing difference in refractive index between the two neighboring media at these interfaces. In this paper, an improved transmission method is proposed to measure the extinction coefficient of micro/nano particles. The extinction coefficient of the particles is determined based on an optical model, taking into account the multiple reflection and refraction at the glass-liquid interfaces. An experimental validation was conducted for suspensions with various mean particle sizes. By considering the higher-order transmission terms, the improved transmission method generally achieved high-accuracy improvement over the traditional transmission method for extinction coefficient measurement, especially for the case with a small optical thickness of particle suspensions. This work provides an alternative and more accurate way for measuring the extinction characteristics of micro/nano particle suspensions.

1064 nm rotational Raman lidar for particle extinction and lidar-ratio profiling: cirrus case study

Abstract. For the first time, vertical profiles of the 1064 nm particle extinction coefficient obtained from Raman lidar observations at 1058 nm (nitrogen and oxygen rotational Raman backscatter) are presented. We applied the new technique in the framework of test measurements and performed several cirrus observations of particle backscatter and extinction coefficients, and corresponding extinction-to-backscatter ratios at the wavelengths of 355, 532, and 1064 nm. The cirrus backscatter coefficients were found to be equal for all three wavelengths keeping the retrieval uncertainties in mind. The multiple-scattering-corrected cirrus extinction coefficients at 355 nm were on average about 20–30 % lower than the ones for 532 and 1064 nm. The cirrus-mean extinction-to-backscatter ratio (lidar ratio) was 31 ± 5 sr (355 nm), 36 ± 5 sr (532 nm), and 38 ± 5 sr (1064 nm) in this single study. We further discussed the requirements needed to obtain aerosol extinction profiles in the lower troposphere at 1064 nm with good accuracy (20 % relative uncertainty) and appropriate temporal and vertical resolution.

Ground-based network observation using Mie–Raman lidars and multi-wavelength Raman lidars and algorithm to retrieve distributions of aerosol components

We improved two-wavelength polarization Mie-scattering lidars at several main sites of the Asian dust and aerosol lidar observation network (AD-Net) by adding a nitrogen Raman scatter measurement channel at 607nm and have conducted ground-based network observation with the improved Mie–Raman lidars (MRL) in East Asia since 2009. This MRL provides 1α+2β+1δ data at nighttime: extinction coefficient (α532), backscatter coefficient (β532), and depolarization ratio (δ532) of particles at 532nm and an attenuated backscatter coefficient at 1064nm (βat,1064). Furthermore, we developed a Multi-wavelength Mie-Raman lidar (MMRL) providing 2α+3β+2δ data (α at 355 and 532nm; β at 355 and 532; βat at 1064nm; and δ at 355 and 532nm) and constructed MMRLs at several main sites of the AD-Net. We identified an aerosol-rich layer and height of the planetary boundary layer (PBL) using βat,1064 data, and derived aerosol optical properties (AOPs, for example, αa, βa, δa, and lidar ratio (Sa)). We demonstrated that AOPs cloud be derived with appropriate accuracy. Seasonal means of AOPs in the PBL were evaluated for each MRL observation site using three-year data from 2010 through 2012; the AOPs changed according to each season and region. For example, Sa,532 at Fukue, Japan, were 44±15sr in winter and 49±17 in summer; those at Seoul, Korea, were 56±18sr in winter and 62±15sr in summer. We developed an algorithm to estimate extinction coefficients at 532nm for black carbon, dust, sea-salt, and air-pollution aerosols consisting of a mixture of sulfate, nitrate, and organic-carbon substances using the 1α532+2β532 and 1064+1δ532 data. With this method, we assume an external mixture of aerosol components and prescribe their size distributions, refractive indexes, and particle shapes. We applied the algorithm to the observed data to demonstrate the performance of the algorithm and determined the vertical structure for each aerosol component.

EARLINET Single Calculus Chain – technical – Part 2: Calculation of optical products

Abstract. In this paper we present the automated software tool ELDA (EARLINET Lidar Data Analyzer) for the retrieval of profiles of optical particle properties from lidar signals. This tool is one of the calculus modules of the EARLINET Single Calculus Chain (SCC) which allows for the analysis of the data of many different lidar systems of EARLINET in an automated, unsupervised way. ELDA delivers profiles of particle extinction coefficients from Raman signals as well as profiles of particle backscatter coefficients from combinations of Raman and elastic signals or from elastic signals only. Those analyses start from pre-processed signals which have already been corrected for background, range dependency and hardware specific effects. An expert group reviewed all algorithms and solutions for critical calculus subsystems which are used within EARLINET with respect to their applicability for automated retrievals. Those methods have been implemented in ELDA. Since the software was designed in a modular way, it is possible to add new or alternative methods in future. Most of the implemented algorithms are well known and well documented, but some methods have especially been developed for ELDA, e.g., automated vertical smoothing and temporal averaging or the handling of effective vertical resolution in the case of lidar ratio retrievals, or the merging of near-range and far-range products. The accuracy of the retrieved profiles was tested following the procedure of the EARLINET-ASOS algorithm inter-comparison exercise which is based on the analysis of synthetic signals. Mean deviations, mean relative deviations, and normalized root-mean-square deviations were calculated for all possible products and three height layers. In all cases, the deviations were clearly below the maximum allowed values according to the EARLINET quality requirements.

Measurement and Study of Lidar Ratio by Using a Raman Lidar in Central China.

We comprehensively evaluated particle lidar ratios (i.e., particle extinction to backscatter ratio) at 532 nm over Wuhan in Central China by using a Raman lidar from July 2013 to May 2015. We utilized the Raman lidar data to obtain homogeneous aerosol lidar ratios near the surface through the Raman method during no-rain nights. The lidar ratios were approximately 57 ± 7 sr, 50 ± 5 sr, and 22 ± 4 sr under the three cases with obviously different pollution levels. The haze layer below 1.8 km has a large particle extinction coefficient (from 5.4e-4 m−1 to 1.6e-4 m−1) and particle backscatter coefficient (between 1.1e-05 m−1sr−1 and 1.7e-06 m−1sr−1) in the heavily polluted case. Furthermore, the particle lidar ratios varied according to season, especially between winter (57 ± 13 sr) and summer (33 ± 10 sr). The seasonal variation in lidar ratios at Wuhan suggests that the East Asian monsoon significantly affects the primary aerosol types and aerosol optical properties in this region. The relationships between particle lidar ratios and wind indicate that large lidar ratio values correspond well with weak winds and strong northerly winds, whereas significantly low lidar ratio values are associated with prevailing southwesterly and southerly wind.

Method for modeling radiative transport in luminescent particulate media.

Modeling radiative transport in luminescent particulate media is important to a variety of applications, from biomedical imaging to solar power harvesting. When absorption and scattering from individual particles must be considered, the description of radiative transport is not straightforward. For large particles and interparticle spacing, geometrical optics can be employed. However, this approach requires accurate knowledge of several particle properties, such as index of refraction and absorption coefficient, along with particle geometry and positioning. Because the determination of these variables is often nontrivial, we developed an approach for modeling radiative transport in such media, which combines two simple experiments with Monte Carlo simulations to determine the particle extinction coefficient (Γ) and the probability of absorption of light by a particle (PA). The method is validated on samples consisting of luminescent phosphor powder dispersed in a silicone matrix.

EARLINET instrument intercomparison campaigns: overview on strategy and results

Abstract. This paper introduces the recent European Aerosol Research Lidar Network (EARLINET) quality-assurance efforts at instrument level. Within two dedicated campaigns and five single-site intercomparison activities, 21 EARLINET systems from 18 EARLINET stations were intercompared between 2009 and 2013. A comprehensive strategy for campaign setup and data evaluation has been established. Eleven systems from nine EARLINET stations participated in the EARLINET Lidar Intercomparison 2009 (EARLI09). In this campaign, three reference systems were qualified which served as traveling standards thereafter. EARLINET systems from nine other stations have been compared against these reference systems since 2009. We present and discuss comparisons at signal and at product level from all campaigns for more than 100 individual measurement channels at the wavelengths of 355, 387, 532, and 607 nm. It is shown that in most cases, a very good agreement of the compared systems with the respective reference is obtained. Mean signal deviations in predefined height ranges are typically below ±2 %. Particle backscatter and extinction coefficients agree within ±2 × 10−4 km−1 sr−1 and ± 0.01 km−1, respectively, in most cases. For systems or channels that showed larger discrepancies, an in-depth analysis of deficiencies was performed and technical solutions and upgrades were proposed and realized. The intercomparisons have reinforced confidence in the EARLINET data quality and allowed us to draw conclusions on necessary system improvements for some instruments and to identify major challenges that need to be tackled in the future.

Four-year long-path monitoring of ambient aerosol extinction at a central European urban site: dependence on relative humidity

Abstract. The ambient aerosol particle extinction coefficient is measured with the Spectral Aerosol Extinction Monitoring System (SÆMS) along a 2.84 km horizontal path at 30–50 m height above ground in the urban environment of Leipzig (51.3° N, 12.4° E), Germany, since 2009. The dependence of the particle extinction coefficient (wavelength range from 300 to 1000 nm) on relative humidity up to almost 100 % was investigated. The main results are presented. For the wavelength of 550 nm, the mean extinction enhancement factor was found to be 1.75 ± 0.4 for an increase of relative humidity from 40 to 80 %. The respective 4-year mean extinction enhancement factor is 2.8 ± 0.6 for a relative-humidity increase from 40 to 95 %. A parameterization of the dependency of the urban particle extinction coefficient on relative humidity is presented. A mean hygroscopic exponent of 0.46 for the 2009–2012 period was determined. Based on a backward trajectory cluster analysis, the dependence of several aerosol optical properties for eight air flow regimes was investigated. Large differences were not found, indicating that local pollution sources widely control the aerosol conditions over the urban site. The comparison of the SÆMS extinction coefficient statistics with respective statistics from ambient AERONET sun photometer observations yields good agreement. Also, time series of the particle extinction coefficient computed from in situ-measured dry particle size distributions and humidity-corrected SÆMS extinction values (for 40 % relative humidity) were found in good overall consistency, which verifies the applicability of the developed humidity parameterization scheme. The analysis of the spectral dependence of particle extinction (Ångström exponent) revealed an increase of the 390–881 nm Ångström exponent from, on average, 0.3 (at 30 % relative humidity) to 1.3 (at 95 % relative humidity) for the 4-year period.

Photoacoustic Compound Fire Alarm System for Detecting Particles and Carbon Monoxide in Smoke

In view of the high sensitivity and high selectivity of photoacoustic technology, a compound fire alarm system used for detecting smoke particles and carbon monoxide was designed on the basis of the photoacoustic spectrometry principle. The system uses an infrared laser with a central wavelength of 1579 nm as the light source, adopts wavelength modulation technology to modulate the continuous light source, and moves the inspection frequency to high frequency with lower noise by integrating harmonic detection technology, thus realizing a measurement of the photoacoustic signal. Concurrently, the system obtains the CO concentration and extinction coefficient of smoke particles via inversion by using the measured scattered light intensity data combined with a certain algorithm. A test was carried out on the system by using three small-scale experiments, namely, cotton rope smoldering fire, polyurethane foam fire and sandalwood smoldering fire. The results show that the CO gas concentrations and extinction coefficient of smoke particles produced by these three experiments are well detected. The CO detection limit of the system was 2.98 ppm. The test results also show that pure powder (used for simulating particles) or pure CO gas will not trigger the system alarm, so unnecessary alarms caused by traditional fire detectors can be avoided and the reliability of the fire alarm can be improved.

Research in Depolarization and Extinction Coefficient of Particles in Tibetan Plateau by Lidar

Vertical profiles of the depolarization ratio and the extinction coefficient of atmospheric particles in Tibetan Plateau were measured with the OUC Water Vapor, Cloud and Aerosol Lidar during the 3 rd Tibetan Plateau Atmospheric Expedition Experiment Campaign in 2013 and 2014. The cloud types and phases, the spatial temporal distribution of the aerosols and the boundary layer height in the Tibetan Plateau were obtained using polarization lidar technique. In this paper, the depolarization ratio was validated with CALIOP polarization simultaneous data, and the extinction coefficient was retrieved by the Fernald method. The result implied that the atmosphere in the Tibetan Plateau was quite clean with low aerosol load and serious pollution. The ice-water mixed cumulus, water cumulus or stratus clouds in Litang and Nagqu were occurred and classified, respectively. The boundary layer height in Nagqu at average altitude over 4600 m was obtained at around 200 m-300 m, which was commonly lower than that in other observed sites.

Sensitivity of Particle Extinction and Backscattering Calculation from Mie-Raman Lidar Measurements to the Choice of Ångström Exponent

Vibrational Raman scattering from nitrogen is commonly used in Mie-Raman lidars for evaluation of particle backscattering (β) and extinction (α) coefficients. However, vibrational scattering is characterized by significant frequency shift of the Raman component, so for the calculation of α and β the assumption about the extinction Angstrom exponent is needed. Simulation results presented in this study demonstrate that ambiguity in the choice of this exponent can be the significant source of uncertainty in the calculation of backscattering coefficients when optically thick aerosol layers are considered. Examples of lidar measurements and optical data calculated for different values of Angstrom exponent are given.

Mobile Multiwavelength Polarization Raman Lidar for Water Vapor, Cloud and Aerosol Measurement

Aiming at the detection of water vapor mixing ratio, particle linear depolarization ratio, extinction coefficient and cloud information, the Water vapor, Cloud and Aerosol Lidar (WVCAL) was developed by the lidar group at Ocean University of China. The Lidar consists of transmitting subsystem, receiving subsystem, data acquisition and controlling subsystem and auxiliary subsystem. These parts were presented and described in this paper. For the measurement of various physical properties, three channels including Raman channel, polarization channel and infrared channel are integrated in this Lidar system. In this paper, the integration and working principle of these channels is introduced in details. Finally, a measurement example which was operated in coastal area-Qingdao, Shandong province, during 2014 is provided.

Strong Saharan Dust Event Detected at Lalinet LOA-UNAL Station, over Medellín, Colombia by Active and Passive Remote Sensing

Passive and active remote sensing techniques are well used for understanding optical and microphysical characteristics of aerosol layers. Lidar has the ability to resolve stratifications of the complex vertical structures in the atmosphere and determine the existence of aerosols which has been transported for long-ranges through the evaluation of the optical properties such as particle backscatter and extinction coefficients, among others. CIMEL sunphotometer data (AERONET network) give information about optical properties such as Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD), Single Scattering Albedo (SSA), and Angstrom Exponent (AE) and microphysical properties such as size distribution. The LOA-UNAL lidar station as part of the LALINET (Latin American LIdar NETwork) [1], involves an elastic coaxial system operating in zenith mode used for monitoring the atmosphere at Medellin-Colombia (6.26°N, 75.58°W, 1470 m asl). This work presents a Saharan dust even over Medellin, Colombia, 27 th June, 2014, observed simultaneously with lidar, sun-photometer and complementary global mass transport model HYSPLIT.

Seasonal Chemical Characteristics of Atmospheric Aerosol Particles and its Light Extinction Coefficients over Pune, India

ABSTRACTThe present study has been conducted to characterize atmospheric aerosol particles in terms of carbonaceous species and ionic constituents for a yearlong period at Pune, India. This study provides the evidence for the ionic chemistry, secondary aerosols formation, temporal variability and its climatic effect in the atmosphere. The average concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 were 109.6 ± 23.2 and 166.9 ± 4 µg m–3, respectively, by far exceeding National Ambient Air Quality (NAAQ) and World Health Organization (WHO) standards. Seasonal analyses indicated that PM2.5 and PM10 mass concentrations were higher in the post-monsoon followed by the winter season and lower during the monsoon period. The average concentrations of organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) were 31.3 ± 7.4 and 4.2 ± 2.4 µg m–3 for PM2.5, while, 34.2 ± 6.2 and 5.0 ± 2.3 µg m–3 for PM10, respectively. OC and EC data splits into seasons and their mass loadings were in the order of post-monsoon > monsoon > winter > summer for OC and for EC, it was as winter > post-monsoon > summer > monsoon. The overall chemical analysis revealed that particulate matter (PM) consist higher concentrations of OC followed by cations and the lowest one is EC. The ionic composition analysis indicated that cations were the abundant parts of PM in comparison to anions and Na+ and SO42– were at a higher concentration amongst all the ionic species. The estimated light extinction coefficient (bext) of the aerosol particle was 291.2 ± 55.3 Mm–1 during the study period. Further apportionment of particle extinction coefficient was estimated and the contributions of light scattering coefficient by particles (bsp) were OC (45%), (NH4)2SO4 (17%), NH4NO3 (8%) and coarse mass (12%), while, the contribution of light absorption coefficient by particle (bap) was 18% (EC). This indicates that in the present study the abundance of aerosol particles are more scattering in nature in comparison to absorption. The average value of Aerosol optical depth (AOD) was 0.46 and their positive correlation with anions and relative humidity (RH) showing same properties, while, in the case of EC, it showed contrast nature with respect to climate effect. Trajectory analysis indicated that the air masses appear as a result of long-range transportation during summer and monsoon period while during the winter and post-monsoon seasons local manmade activities showed dominant influence.

Development of High Spectral Resolution Lidar System for Measuring Aerosol and Cloud

A high spectral resolution lidar (HSRL) system based on injection-seeded Nd:YAG laser and iodine absorption filter has been developed for the quantitative measurement of aerosol and cloud. The laser frequency is stabilized at 80 MHz by a frequency locking system and the absorption line of iodine cell is selected at the 1111 line with 2 GHz width. The observations show that the HSRL can provide vertical profiles of particle extinction coefficient, backscattering coefficient and lidar ratio for cloud and aerosol up to 12 km altitude, simultaneously. For the measured cases, the lidar ratios are 10~20 sr for cloud, 28~37 sr for dust, and 58~70 sr for urban pollution aerosol. It reveals the potential of HSRL to distinguish the type of aerosol and cloud. Time series measurements are given and demonstrate that the HSRL has ability to continuously observe the aerosol and cloud for day and night.