Aerosol Optical Thickness Observations Research Articles

The Global Atmosphere-aerosol Model ICON-A-HAM2.3-Initial Model Evaluation and Effects of Radiation Balance Tuning on Aerosol Optical Thickness.

The Hamburg Aerosol Module version 2.3 (HAM2.3) from the ECHAM6.3‐HAM2.3 global atmosphere‐aerosol model is coupled to the recently developed icosahedral nonhydrostatic ICON‐A (icon‐aes‐1.3.00) global atmosphere model to yield the new ICON‐A‐HAM2.3 atmosphere‐aerosol model. The ICON‐A and ECHAM6.3 host models use different dynamical cores, parameterizations of vertical mixing due to sub‐grid scale turbulence, and parameter settings for radiation balance tuning. Here, we study the role of the different host models for simulated aerosol optical thickness (AOT) and evaluate impacts of using HAM2.3 and the ECHAM6‐HAM2.3 two‐moment cloud microphysics scheme on several meteorological variables. Sensitivity runs show that a positive AOT bias over the subtropical oceans is remedied in ICON‐A‐HAM2.3 because of a different default setting of a parameter in the moist convection parameterization of the host models. The global mean AOT is biased low compared to MODIS satellite instrument retrievals in ICON‐A‐HAM2.3 and ECHAM6.3‐HAM2.3, but the bias is larger in ICON‐A‐HAM2.3 because negative AOT biases over the Amazon, the African rain forest, and the northern Indian Ocean are no longer compensated by high biases over the sub‐tropical oceans. ICON‐A‐HAM2.3 shows a moderate improvement with respect to AOT observations at AERONET sites. A multivariable bias score combining biases of several meteorological variables into a single number is larger in ICON‐A‐HAM2.3 compared to standard ICON‐A and standard ECHAM6.3. In the tropics, this multivariable bias is of similar magnitude in ICON‐A‐HAM2.3 and in ECHAM6.3‐HAM2.3. In the extra‐tropics, a smaller multivariable bias is found for ICON‐A‐HAM2.3 than for ECHAM6.3‐HAM2.3.

OPTIMAL INTERPOLATION OF AERONET RADIOMETRIC NETWORK OBSERVATIONS FOR THE EVALUATION OF THE AEROSOL OPTICAL DEPTH DISTRIBUTION IN THE EASTERN EUROPEAN REGION

The application of the optimal interpolation method for the assimilation of the observational data of aerosol optical thickness (AOT), which are sparse in space and time, in the chemical transport model is herein validated. Assuming the negligible error of AOT observations in the AERONET ground-based radiometric network, spatial and temporal correlation functions of the errors in the results of the AOT simulated by the GEOS-Chem chemical transport model are obtained. The optimal interpolation method is applied to the AERONET data using the GEOS-Chem results as a background field for the Eastern European region for 2015–2016. It is shown that the use of the optimal interpolation method permits to reduce the root-mean-square error of the AOT estimation by more than a third in places where there are no AERONET stations in comparison with the model results.

Site representativity of AERONET and GAW remotely sensed aerosol optical thickness and absorbing aerosol optical thickness observations

Abstract. Remote sensing observations from the AERONET (AErosol RObotic NETwork) and GAW (Global Atmosphere Watch) networks are intermittent in time and have a limited field of view. A global high-resolution simulation (Goddard Earth Observing System Model (GEOS-5) Nature Run) is used to conduct an OSSE (observing system simulation experiment) for AERONET and GAW observations of AOT (aerosol optical thickness) and AAOT (absorbing aerosol optical thickness) and estimate the spatiotemporal representativity of individual sites for larger areas (from 0.5 to 4∘ in size). GEOS-5 NR and the OSSE are evaluated and have shown to have sufficient skill, although daily AAOT variability is significantly underestimated, while the frequency of AAOT observations is overestimated (both resulting in an underestimation of temporal representativity errors in AAOT). Yearly representation errors are provided for a host of scenarios: varying grid-box size, temporal collocation protocols and site altitudes are explored. Monthly representation errors show correlations from month to month, with a pronounced annual cycle that suggests temporal averaging may not be very successful in reducing multi-year representation errors. The collocation protocol for AEROCOM (AEROsol Comparisons between Observations and Models) model evaluation (using daily data) is shown to be suboptimal and the use of hourly data is advocated instead. A previous subjective ranking of site spatial representativity (Kinne et al., 2013) is analysed and a new objective ranking proposed. Several sites are shown to have yearly representation errors in excess of 40 %. Lastly, a recent suggestion (Wang et al., 2018) that AERONET observations of AAOT suffer a positive representation bias of 30 % globally is analysed and evidence is provided that this bias is likely an overestimate (the current paper finds 4 %) due to methodological choices.

Impact of environmental pollution on the retrieval of hourly aerosol products from Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI) over Beijing

Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI) aboard Himawari-8 provides hourly Aerosol Optical Thickness (AOT) products, widely used to assimilation models and ground-level particulate matter (PM) concentration retrievals. However, the performance of AHI AOT products remains unclear under different air quality conditions. In this study, we evaluate the performance of the AHI hourly AOT products with ground-based AOT observations from four Aerosol Robotic NETwork (AERONET) sites for 2018 over Beijing under different pollution levels and aerosol types. Near-surface PM concentrations are used to categorize air quality as clean, moderate, and heavy pollution, and the aerosol types (biomass burning and urban/industrial (BMA_UIA), maritime (MA), dust (DA), mixed-type (MIXA)) are classified based on the threshold limits of AERONET aerosol properties. Overall, the AHI hourly AOT achieves good consistency with AERONET measurements in Beijing (correlation coefficient (R) = 0.78 and a root-mean-square-error (RMSE) = 0.29). Under clean conditions, the AOT successful retrieval rate is more than 80%, while it is deficient for moderate and heavy pollution. AOT for clean and moderate pollution performs better than that for heavy pollution. Moreover, AHI AOT retrievals for fine mode aerosol (BMA_UIA) are in good agreement with AERONET observations, and the performance is better than that under coarse mode aerosol (MA and DA) conditions. AHI AOT may capture the spatiotemporal distribution of fine particles pollution over Beijing. These findings will provide useful information for the improvement of the aerosol model of the retrieval algorithm and the monitoring of urban fine particles pollution.

Analysis of total column ozone, water vapour and aerosol optical thickness over Ahmedabad, India

ABSTRACTA preliminary study was performed to investigate the quality of total column ozone (TCO), water vapour (WV) and aerosol optical thickness (AOT) available from satellite and reanalysis from atmospheric models along with in situ observations over Ahmedabad (23.03 ° N, 72.5 ° E, 55 m above mean sea level), India. Ground‐based measurements from a MICROTOPS II ozonometer as well as space‐based satellite retrieved products from the moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) and an ozone monitoring instrument were analysed during December 2014 to March 2015. The European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) reanalysis (ERA‐Interim) created TCO and WV were also used to assess the skill of global model reanalysis over the western part of India. An increasing trend was found in the TCO and WV parameters from the winter to summer period. Investigations showed that MODIS satellite retrieved and ERA‐Interim reanalysis WV are able to capture the trends compared with ground‐based hand‐held MICROTOPS II observations. Higher TCO was found in the MODIS data, whereas the ERA‐Interim and ozone monitoring instrument TCO matched well with ground‐based observations. Larger differences were found with the MODIS AOT in comparison to MICROTOPS II AOT observations. Further, analysis showed that ERA‐Interim has sufficient potential to be used for various meteorological applications over the western Indian region. Furthermore, the variations of TCO, WV and AOT were studied over the orographic region of Mount Abu (∼110 km aerial distance from Ahmedabad), located in the Aravali range of mountains. Ground‐based measurements at different altitudes (0.3, 1.1 and 1.67 km above mean sea level) revealed significant variations in WV and AOT. The WV varies 17.1% (30.3%) and the AOT varies 53.8% (57.5%) in 1.1 km (1.67 km), whereas no noteworthy variations are observed in the TCO in this field campaign.

Assimilation of AERONET and MODIS AOT observations using variational and ensemble data assimilation methods and its impact on aerosol forecasting skill

AbstractData assimilation of Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aerosol optical thickness (AOT) for aerosol forecasting was tested within the Navy Aerosol Analysis Prediction System (NAAPS) framework, using variational and ensemble data assimilation methods. Navy aerosol forecasting currently makes use of a deterministic NAAPS simulation coupled to Navy Variational Data Assimilation System for aerosol optical depth, a two‐dimensional variational data assimilation system, for MODIS AOT assimilation. An ensemble version of NAAPS (ENAAPS) coupled to an ensemble adjustment Kalman filter (EAKF) from the Data Assimilation Research Testbed was recently developed, allowing for a range of data assimilation and forecasting experiments to be run with deterministic NAAPS and ENAAPS. The main findings are that the EAKF, with its flow‐dependent error covariances, makes better use of sparse observations such as AERONET AOT. Assimilating individual AERONET observations in the two‐dimensional variational system can increase the analysis errors when observations are located in high AOT gradient regions. By including AERONET with MODIS AOT assimilation, the magnitudes of peak aerosol events (AOT > 1) were better captured with improved temporal variability, especially in India and Asia where aerosol prediction is a challenge. Assimilating AERONET AOT with MODIS had little impact on the 24 h forecast skill compared to MODIS assimilation only, but differences were found downwind of AERONET sites. The 24 h forecast skill was approximately the same for forecasts initialized with analyses from AERONET AOT assimilation alone compared to MODIS assimilation, particularly in regions where the AERONET network is dense; including the United States and Europe, indicating that AERONET could serve as a backup observation network for over‐land synoptic‐scale aerosol events.

Spaceborne observations of low surface aerosol concentrations in the Stockholm region

This article investigates the feasibility of using spaceborne observations of aerosol optical thickness (AOT) derived with the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) for monitoring of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in an environment of low aerosol loading. Previous studies of the AOT-to-PM2.5 relationship benefit from the large range of observed values. The Stockholm region features a comprehensive network of ground-based monitoring stations that generally show PM2.5 values <20 µg m−3. MODIS AOT at 555 nm is usually <0.20 and in good agreement with ground-based sun photometer observations in this region. We use MODIS Collection 5 AOT data with a horizontal resolution of 10 km×10 km and ground-based in-situ PM2.5 observations to derive an AOT-to-PM2.5 relationship that can be used to estimate fields of PM2.5. This has been carried out with respect to the months from April to September of the period 2000–2013. Relative average absolute deviations of 33–55 % (mean of 45 %) are obtained between MODIS-retrieved and ground-based PM2.5. The root mean square error is 0.2159 µg m−3 between retrieved and measured PM2.5. From spaceborne lidar observations, it is found that elevated aerosol layers are generally sparse in the Stockholm region. This favours remote sensing of PM2.5 from space. The deviations found between measured and retrieved PM2.5 are mainly attributed to infrequent situations of inhomogeneous aerosol layering for which column-integrated observations cannot be connected to surface conditions. Using MODIS Collection 6 data with a resolution of 3 km×3 km in a case study actually gives far fewer results than the coarser Collection 5 product. This is explained by the complex geography of the Stockholm region with a coastline and an abundance of lakes, which seems to induce biases in the retrieval of AOT at higher spatial resolution.

Satellite-measured atmospheric aerosol content in Korea: anthropogenic signals from decadal records

Spatiotemporal characteristics and anthropogenic signals of aerosol optical thickness (AOT) distributions over Korea are investigated in this study using AOT time-series data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). AOT observations, a quantitative measure of the atmospheric quality, had significant geographical variations during the study period (2000–2010). Comparing metro cities or counties with similar populations, western regions showed higher AOT values than eastern regions. Particular matter with a diameter < 10 µm (PM10), including aeolian dust or yellow dust, is the primary component of atmospheric aerosols, and their transport into the region has shown a strong seasonal pattern with its peak from March to April and lows from July to September. These seasonal dust patterns, however, did not correspond well to temporal AOT records, which typically reached the maximum level in June nationwide. Rather, widespread regional fire events and humidity showed significant correlations with AOT time-series. This correlation rapidly increased as the range of fire occurrence was extended to the west as far as 115°E. The relative humidity also had a significant correlation with AOT during the month of June. In addition to urban emission of anthropogenic aerosols, regional biomass burning and secondary growth of hygroscopic aerosols are considered important contributors to the degradation of the atmospheric environment during the non-Asian Dust season over the Korean Peninsula.

Potential of polarization lidar to provide profiles of CCN- and INP-relevant aerosol parameters

Abstract. We investigate the potential of polarization lidar to provide vertical profiles of aerosol parameters from which cloud condensation nucleus (CCN) and ice nucleating particle (INP) number concentrations can be estimated. We show that height profiles of particle number concentrations n50, dry considering dry aerosol particles with radius &gt; 50 nm (reservoir of CCN in the case of marine and continental non-desert aerosols), n100, dry (particles with dry radius &gt; 100 nm, reservoir of desert dust CCN), and of n250, dry (particles with dry radius &gt; 250 nm, reservoir of favorable INP), as well as profiles of the particle surface area concentration sdry (used in INP parameterizations) can be retrieved from lidar-derived aerosol extinction coefficients σ with relative uncertainties of a factor of 1.5–2 in the case of n50, dry and n100, dry and of about 25–50 % in the case of n250, dry and sdry. Of key importance is the potential of polarization lidar to distinguish and separate the optical properties of desert aerosols from non-desert aerosol such as continental and marine particles. We investigate the relationship between σ, measured at ambient atmospheric conditions, and n50, dry for marine and continental aerosols, n100, dry for desert dust particles, and n250, dry and sdry for three aerosol types (desert, non-desert continental, marine) and for the main lidar wavelengths of 355, 532, and 1064 nm. Our study is based on multiyear Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) photometer observations of aerosol optical thickness and column-integrated particle size distribution at Leipzig, Germany, and Limassol, Cyprus, which cover all realistic aerosol mixtures. We further include AERONET data from field campaigns in Morocco, Cabo Verde, and Barbados, which provide pure dust and pure marine aerosol scenarios. By means of a simple CCN parameterization (with n50, dry or n100, dry as input) and available INP parameterization schemes (with n250, dry and sdry as input) we finally compute profiles of the CCN-relevant particle number concentration nCCN and the INP number concentration nINP. We apply the method to a lidar observation of a heavy dust outbreak crossing Cyprus and a case dominated by continental aerosol pollution.

Combining AOT, Angstrom Exponent and PM concentration data, with PSCF model, to distinguish fine and coarse aerosol intrusions in Southern France

In this paper, a cluster analysis of backward air mass trajectories, arriving in Avignon (Southern France), was combined with a Potential Source Contribution Function (PSCF) model on a 0.5°×0.5° resolution grid, in order to indicate possible aerosol intrusions. A strict triple criterion was constructed from Aerosol Optical Thickness (AOT), Angstrom Exponent (AE), and PM (PM10 and PM2.5) concentration measurements, aiming to distinguish more effectively Episodes of Fine, Coarse and Overall Aerosols (FAE, CAE and OAE respectively). Large fractions of FAE (60.0%) and CAE (40.6%) were strongly attributed to the prevalence of Eastern and South–Southwest (S–SW) airflows respectively, whereas these distinct trajectory clusters also gathered large fractions of OAE (90.2% cumulatively). According to PSCF results, FAE events were strongly associated with the influence of air masses traveling over North Italy and Southern Germany, hence the impact of urban and industrial combustion was emerged. Main sources of coarse aerosols were principally isolated over the Mediterranean, thus the import of sea spray and dust from the Sahara desert is presumed. Satellite AOT observations were used for a more detailed identification of an intense 5-day intrusion of coarse aerosols. Short range slow moving air mass trajectories, were proven to be a clear marker of atmospheric stagnation, based on a wind speed analysis, triggering the accumulation of locally emitted anthropogenic aerosols (mainly PM2.5) and lack of city ventilation.

Observations and projections of visibility and aerosol optical thickness (1956–2100) in the Netherlands: impacts of time-varying aerosol composition and hygroscopicity

Time series of visibility and aerosol optical thickness for the Netherlands have been constructed for 1956–2100 based on observations and aerosol mass scenarios. Aerosol optical thickness from 1956 to 2013 has been reconstructed by converting time series of visibility to visible extinction which in turn are converted to aerosol optical thickness using an appropriate scaling depth. The reconstruction compares closely with remote sensing observations of aerosol optical thickness between 1960 and 2013. It appears that aerosol optical thickness was relatively constant over the Netherlands in the years 1955–1985. After 1985, visibility has improved, while at the same time aerosol optical thickness has decreased. Based on aerosol emission scenarios for the Netherlands three aerosol types have been identified: (1) a constant background consisting of sea salt and mineral dust, (2) a hydrophilic anthropogenic inorganic mixture, and (3) a partly hydrophobic mixture of black carbon (BC) and organic aerosols (OAs). A reduction in overall aerosol concentration turns out to be the most influential factor in the reduction in aerosol optical thickness. But during 1956–1985, an upward trend in hydrophilic aerosols and associated upward trend in optical extinction has partly compensated the overall reduction in optical extinction due to the reduction in less hydrophilic BC and OAs. A constant optical thickness ensues. This feature highlights the influence of aerosol hygroscopicity on time-varying signatures of atmospheric optical properties. Within the hydrophilic inorganic aerosol mixture there is a gradual shift from sulfur-based (1956–1985) to a nitrogen-based water aerosol chemistry (1990 onwards) but always modulated by the continual input of sodium from sea salt. From 2013 to 2100, visibility is expected to continue its increase, while at the same time optical thickness is foreseen to continue to decrease. The contribution of the hydrophilic mixture to the aerosol optical thickness will increase from 30% to 35% in 1956 to more than 70% in 2100. At the same time the contribution of black and organic aerosols will decrease by more than 80%.

Large‐scale impact of Saharan dust on the North Atlantic Ocean circulation

AbstractThe potential for a dynamical impact of Saharan mineral dust on the North Atlantic Ocean large‐scale circulation is investigated. To this end, an ocean general circulation model forced by atmospheric fluxes is perturbed by an idealized, seasonally varying, net shortwave flux anomaly, as it results from remote sensing observations of aerosol optical thickness representing Saharan dust load in the atmosphere. The dust dynamical impact on the circulation is assessed through a comparison between perturbed and an unperturbed run. Results suggest that, following the dust‐induced shortwave irradiance anomaly, a buoyancy anomaly is created in the Atlantic offshore the African coast, which over the course of the time propagates westward into the interior Atlantic while progressively subducting. Changes in the large‐scale barotropic and overturning circulations are significant after 3 years, which coincides with the elapsed time required by the bulk of the buoyancy perturbation to reach the western boundary of the North Atlantic. Although small in amplitude, the changes in the meridional overturning are of the same order as interannual‐to‐decadal variability. Variations in the amplitude of the forcing lead to changes in the amplitude of the response, which is almost linear during the first 3 years. In addition, a fast, but dynamically insignificant, response can be observed to propagate poleward along the eastern boundary of the North Atlantic, which contributes to a nonlinear response in the subpolar region north of 40°N.

월면 디지털 영상 분석을 이용한 대기 광학두께 산출

이 연구에서는 상용 디지털 카메라를 이용하여 야간에 촬영된 월면 영상을 분석하여 야간의 대기 광학두께와 에어로솔 광학두께를 추정하였다. 기본적으로 랑리회귀법을 이용하였으며 구름이 없고 대기의 광학적 특성이 비교적 안정한 날에 관측을 수행하였다. 카메라의 적색(R), 녹색(G), 청색(B) 채널의 파장별 반응함수를 이용하여 월광관측에 대한 유효 중심파장 및 레일리 광학두께를 추정하였으며, 랑리 회귀법에서 유도된 대기광학두께로부터 레일리 광학두께를 제하여 에어로솔 광학 두께를 산출하였다. 야간에는 독립적인 방법으로 산출된 검증자료나 다른 에어로솔 광학두께 자료가 거의 없으므로 월면 관측이 이루어지기 수 시간 전의 주간에 정밀한 태양분광광도계로 측정된 에어로솔 광학두께 자료와 MODIS 위성센서 관측으로부터 산출된 에어로솔 광학두께 자료를 본 연구에서 월면 관측을 통해 산출된 자료와 비교하였다. 비교 결과 R, G, B 채널에서 대략 0.1정도의 오차 범위에서 월면 영상분석을 통해 에어로솔 광학두께의 추정이 가능함을 알 수 있었다. 단, 대기 중의 에어로솔 입자들의 크기를 나타내는 모수인 앙스트롬지수(<TEX>${\AA}$</TEX>ngstr<TEX>$\ddot{o}$</TEX>m Exponent)는 파장별 광학두께의 작은 오차에도 큰 오차를 가질 수 있기 때문에 에어로솔 광학두께의 오차에 비해 비교적 큰 오차를 보일 수 있음이 나타났다. 그럼에도 불구하고, 야간의 에어로솔 광학두께 자료가 많지 않은 현실에서 저비용으로 월면 관측을 통하여 에어로솔 광학두께를 산출할 수 있는 가능성을 찾았다는 점에서 본 연구의 의의가 있으며 앞으로 보다 많은 관측과 분석을 통해 보다 향상된 야간 에어로솔 광학두께 추정이 가능할 것으로 보인다. Atmospheric optical thickness during nighttime was estimated in this study using analysis on the images of the moon taken from commercial digital camera. Basically the Langely Regression method was applied to the observations of the moon for the cloudless and optically stable sky conditions. The spectral response functions for the red(R), green(G), and blue(B) channels were employed to derive effective wavelength centers of each channel for the observations of the moon, and the correspondent Rayleigh optical thickness were also calculated. Aerosol optical thickness (AOT) was calculated by subtracting Rayleigh optical thickness from the atmospheric optical thickness derived from the Langley regression method. As there are only handful of nighttime AOT observations, the AOT from the moon observations was compared with the AOT from sun-photometers and the MODIS satellite sensor, which was taken several hours before the moon observations of this study. As a result, the values of AOT from moon observations agree with those from sun-photometers and MODIS within 0.1 for the R, G, B channels of the digital camera. On the other hand, <TEX>${\AA}$</TEX>ngstr<TEX>$\ddot{o}$</TEX>m Exponent seems to be subject to larger errors due to its sensitiveness to the spectral errors of AOT. Nevertheless, the results of this study indicate that the method reported in this study is promising as it can provide nighttime AOT relatively easily with a low cost instrument like digital camera. More observations and analyses are warranted to attain improved nighttime AOT observations in the future.

Modelling Saharan dust transport into the Mediterranean basin with CMAQ

The need for a better quantification of the influence of Saharan dust transport processes on the air quality modelling in the Mediterranean basin led to the formulation of a dust emission module (DEM) integrated into the Air Quality Risk Assessment System for the Iberian Peninsula (SERCA). This paper is focused on the formulation of DEM based on the GOCART aerosol model, along with its integration and execution into the air quality model. It also addresses the testing of the module and its evaluation by contrasting results against satellite products such as MODIS and CALIPSO and ground-level observations of aerosol optical thickness (AOT) and concentration levels of PM10 for different periods in July 2007. DEM was found capable of reproducing the spatial (horizontal and vertical) and temporal profiles of Saharan dust outbreaks into the Mediterranean basin and the Atlantic coast of Africa. Moreover, it was observed that its combination with CMAQ increased the correlation degree between observed and modelled PM10 concentrations at the selected monitoring locations. DEM also enhanced CMAQ capabilities to reproduce observed AOT, although significant underestimations remain. The implementation of CMAQ + DEM succeeded in capturing Saharan dust transport into the Iberian Peninsula, with contributions up to 25 and 14 μg m−3 in 1 h and 24 h average PM10 respectively. The general improvement of total PM10 predictions in Spain are however moderate. The analysis of model performance for the main PM components points out that remaining PM10 underestimation is due to dust local sources missing in the inventories and misrepresentation of organic aerosol processes, which constitutes the main areas for future improvement of CMAQ capabilities to simulate particulate matter within SERCA.

Impact of urban pollution emitted in Warsaw on aerosol properties

This paper presents the analyses of the long-term observations of aerosol optical thickness (AOT) and concentrations of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter <10 μm (PM10) in the Warsaw extended area. The AOT was observed between 2005 and 2011 in Warsaw and in Belsk (about 45 km away from Warsaw) with hand-held Microtops (Warsaw) and CIMEL (Belsk) sun photometers. The PM10 concentrations were measured at three Warsaw stations as well as in Belsk. The ground-based observations, and the satellite data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) provided information about the influence of Warsaw emissions on the AOT. The estimated effect is about 0.02 (at 500 nm) based on the sun photometers' comparisons and 0.03 (at 550 nm) based on the MODIS results. Relatively small impact of Warsaw emissions on the AOT (about 10–15%) is consistent with the PM10 data. The mean PM10 differences, estimated during the same time as sun photometer measurements, for Warsaw Ursynow (a residential area) and Belsk was only 5.7 μg m−3 (13%), and for Warsaw Targowek (a mixed shopping and residential area) and Belsk was about 9.8 μg m−3 (20%). For the station located in the central Warsaw, near to the street with the heavy traffic, the difference in the long-term mean of the PM10 was significantly larger and reached 22.1 μg m−3 (36%). Finally, an extreme smoke event observed on 4 April 2009, when favorable weather conditions led to the differences in the AOT between Warsaw and Belsk in a range of 0.11–0.2 (at 500 nm) has been described.

Desert Dust Outbreaks over Mediterranean Basin: A Modeling, Observational, and Synoptic Analysis Approach

Dust intrusions from African desert regions have an impact on the Mediterranean Basin (MB), as they cause an anomalous increase of aerosol concentrations in the tropospheric column and often an increase of particulate matter at the ground level. To estimate the Saharan dust contribution to PM10, a significant dust intrusion event that occurred in June 2006 is investigated, joining numerical simulations and specific measurements. As a first step, a synoptic analysis of this episode is performed. Such analysis, based only on meteorological and aerosol optical thickness observations, does not allow the assessment of exhaustive informations. In fact, it is not possible to distinguish dust outbreaks transported above the boundary layer without any impact at the ground level from those causing deposition. The approach proposed in this work applies an ad hoc model chain to describe emission, transport and deposition dynamics. Furthermore, physical and chemical analyses (PIXE analysis and ion chromatography) were used to measure the concentration of all soil-related elements to quantify the contribution of dust particles to PM10. The comparison between simulation results and in-situ measurements show a satisfying agreement, and supports the effectiveness of the model chain to estimate the Saharan dust contribution at ground level.

Spatial-temporal variability of the aerosol optical thickness over the central part of European Russia from MODIS data

Satellite observations of the aerosol optical thickness (AOT) at the wavelength 0.55 μm over the central part of European Russia (52°–59° N; 29°–45° E) in 2000–2009 obtained with the help of MODIS instruments (Terra and Aqua satellites) are analyzed. Descriptive statistics and frequency distributions of the AOT values observed over the central part of European Russia, Moscow, and the background region are presented. The AOT spatial distributions are described, and some their features are interpreted. The variations of the AOT on different time scales are analyzed. The relation that seasonal and weekly AOT variations have with the variability of aerological characteristics is investigated. The results of an analysis of satellite AOT observations are compared with the data of ground-based observations.

Global satellite analysis of the relation between aerosols and short-lived trace gases

Abstract. The spatial and temporal correlations between concurrent satellite observations of aerosol optical thickness (AOT) from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and tropospheric columns of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and formaldehyde (HCHO) from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) are used to infer information on the global composition of aerosol particles. When averaging the satellite data over large regions and longer time periods, we find significant correlation between MODIS AOT and OMI trace gas columns for various regions in the world. This shows that these enhanced aerosol and trace gas concentrations originate from common sources, such as fossil fuel combustion, biomass burning, and organic compounds released from the biosphere. This leads us to propose that satellite-inferred AOT to NO2 ratios for regions with comparable photochemical regimes can be used as indicators for the relative regional pollution control of combustion processes. Indeed, satellites observe low AOT to NO2 ratios over the eastern United States and western Europe, and high AOT to NO2 ratios over comparably industrialized regions in eastern Europe and China. Emission databases and OMI SO2 observations over these regions suggest a much stronger sulfur contribution to aerosol formation than over the well-regulated areas of the eastern United States and western Europe. Furthermore, satellite observations show AOT to NO2 ratios are a factor 100 higher over biomass burning regions than over industrialized areas, reflecting the unregulated burning practices with strong primary particle emissions in the tropics compared to the heavily controlled combustion processes in the industrialized Northern Hemisphere. Simulations with a global chemistry transport model (GEOS-Chem) capture most of these variations, although on regional scales significant differences are found. Wintertime aerosol concentrations show strongest correlations with NO2 throughout most of the Northern Hemisphere. During summertime, AOT is often (also) correlated with enhanced HCHO concentrations, reflecting the importance of secondary organic aerosol formation in that season. We also find significant correlations between AOT and HCHO over biomass burning regions, the tropics in general, and over industrialized regions in southeastern Asia. The distinct summertime maximum in AOT (0.4 at 550 nm) and HCHO over the southeastern United States strengthens existing hypotheses that local emissions of volatile organic compounds lead to the formation of secondary organic aerosols there. GEOS-Chem underestimates the AOT over the southeastern United States by a factor of 2, most likely due to too strong precipitation and too low SOA yield in the model.

Study of Data-Merging and Interpolation Methods for Use in an Interactive Online Analysis System: MODIS Terra and Aqua Daily Aerosol Case

Data merging with interpolation is a method of combining near-coincident satellite observations to provide complete global or regional maps for comparison with models and ground station observations. We investigate various methods and limitations of data merging (or data fusion), with and without interpolation, as a first step toward merging data sets archived in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center and made public through the Goddard Interactive Online Visualization and ANalysis Infrastructure (Giovanni) data portals. As a prototype for the data-merging algorithm, this paper uses daily global observations of aerosol optical thickness (AOT), as measured by the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer onboard the Terra and Aqua satellites. The goal is to develop a very fast and accurate online method of data merging for implementation into Giovanni. We demonstrate three different methods for pure merging (without interpolation): simple arithmetic averaging (SAA), maximum likelihood estimate (MLE), and weighting by pixel counts. All three methods are roughly comparable, with the MLE (SAA) being slightly preferable when validating with respect to the AOT standard deviations (AOT means). To evaluate the merged product, we introduce two confidence functions, which characterize the percentage of the merged AOT pixels as a function of the relative deviation of the merged AOT from the initial Terra and Aqua AOTs. Eight combinations of merging-interpolation are applied to scenes with regular and irregular data gap patterns. Our results show that the merging-interpolation procedure can produce complete spatial fields with acceptable errors.

A geostatistical data fusion technique for merging remote sensing and ground‐based observations of aerosol optical thickness

The Multiangle Imaging Spectroradiometer (MISR) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the NASA Earth Observation System's Terra satellite have been measuring aerosol optical thickness (AOT) since early 2000. These remote‐sensing platforms complement the ground‐based Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) in better understanding the role of aerosols in climate and atmospheric chemistry. To date, however, there have been only limited attempts to exploit the complementary multiangle (MISR) and multispectral (MODIS) capabilities of these sensors along with the ground‐based observations in an integrated analysis. This paper describes a geostatistical data fusion technique that can take advantage of the spatial autocorrelation of the AOT distribution, while making optimal use of all available data sets. Using Level 2.0 AERONET, MISR, and MODIS AOT data for the contiguous United States, we demonstrate that this approach can successfully incorporate information from multiple sensors and provide accurate estimates of AOT with rigorous uncertainty bounds. Cross‐validation results show that the resulting AOT product is closer to the ground‐based AOT observations than either of the individual satellite measurements.