Search Results

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
  • Item
    Experimental assessment of a micro-pulse lidar system in comparison with reference lidar measurements for aerosol optical properties retrieval
    (Katlenburg-Lindau : European Geosciences Union, 2021) Córdoba-Jabonero, Carmen; Ansmann, Albert; Jiménez, Cristofer; Baars, Holger; López-Cayuela, María-Ángeles; Engelmann, Ronny
    Simultaneous observations of a polarized micro-pulse lidar (P-MPL) system and two reference European Aerosol Research Lidar Network lidars running at the Leipzig site Germany, 51.4g gN, 12.4g gE; 125gmga.s.l.) were performed during a comprehensive 2-month field intercomparison campaign in summer 2019. An experimental assessment regarding both the overlap (OVP) correction of the P-MPL signal profiles and the volume linear depolarization ratio (VLDR) analysis, together with its impact on the retrieval of the aerosol optical properties, is achieved; the experimental procedure used is also described. The optimal lidar-specific OVP function is experimentally determined, highlighting that the one delivered by the P-MPL manufacturer cannot be used long. Among the OVP functions examined, the averaged function between those obtained from the comparison of the P-MPL observations with those of the other two reference lidars seems to be the best proxy at both near- and far-field ranges. In addition, the impact of the OVP function on the accuracy of the retrieved profiles of the total particle backscatter coefficient (PBC) and the particle linear depolarization ratio (PLDR) is examined. The VLDR profile is obtained and compared with that derived from the reference lidar, showing that it needs to be corrected by a small offset value with good accuracy. Once P-MPL measurements are optimally (OVP, VLDR) corrected, both the PBC and PLDR profiles can be accurately derived and are in good agreement with reference aerosol retrievals. Overall, as a systematic requirement for lidar systems, an adequate OVP function determination and VLDR testing analysis needs to be performed on a regular basis to correct the P-MPL measurements in order to derive suitable aerosol products. A dust event observed in Leipzig in June 2019 is used for illustration.
  • Item
    Maritime aerosol network as a component of AERONET - First results and comparison with global aerosol models and satellite retrievals
    (München : European Geopyhsical Union, 2011) Smirnov, A.; Holben, B.N.; Giles, D.M.; Slutsker, I.; O'Neill, N.T.; Eck, T.F.; Macke, A.; Croot, P.; Courcoux, Y.; Sakerin, S.M.; Smyth, T.J.; Zielinski, T.; Zibordi, G.; Goes, J.I.; Harvey, M.J.; Quinn, P.K.; Nelson, N.B.; Radionov, V.F.; Duarte, C.M.; Losno, R.; Sciare, J.; Voss, K.J.; Kinne, S.; Nalli, N.R.; Joseph, E.; Krishna Moorthy, K.; Covert, D.S.; Gulev, S.K.; Milinevsky, G.; Larouche, P.; Belanger, S.; Horne, E.; Chin, M.; Remer, L.A.; Kahn, R.A.; Reid, J.S.; Schulz, M.; Heald, C.L.; Zhang, J.; Lapina, K.; Kleidman, R.G.; Griesfeller, J.; Gaitley, B.J.; Tan, Q.; Diehl, T.L.
    The Maritime Aerosol Network (MAN) has been collecting data over the oceans since November 2006. Over 80 cruises were completed through early 2010 with deployments continuing. Measurement areas included various parts of the Atlantic Ocean, the Northern and Southern Pacific Ocean, the South Indian Ocean, the Southern Ocean, the Arctic Ocean and inland seas. MAN deploys Microtops hand-held sunphotometers and utilizes a calibration procedure and data processing traceable to AERONET. Data collection included areas that previously had no aerosol optical depth (AOD) coverage at all, particularly vast areas of the Southern Ocean. The MAN data archive provides a valuable resource for aerosol studies in maritime environments. In the current paper we present results of AOD measurements over the oceans, and make a comparison with satellite AOD retrievals and model simulations.
  • Item
    Aerosol physical properties and processes in the lower marine boundary layer: A comparison of shipboard sub-micron data from ACE-1 and ACE-2
    (Milton Park : Taylor & Francis, 2016) Bates, Timothy S.; Quinn, Patricia K.; Covert, David S.; Coffman, Derek J.; Johnson, James E.; Wiedensohler, Alfred
    The goals of the IGAC Aerosol Characterization Experiments (ACE) are to determine and understand the properties and controlling processes of the aerosol in a globally representative range of natural and anthropogenically perturbed environments. ACE-1 was conducted in the remote marine atmosphere south of Australia while ACE-2 was conducted in the anthropogenically modified atmosphere of the Eastern North Atlantic. In-situ shipboard measurements from the RV Discoverer(ACE-1) and the RV Professor Vodyanitskiy(ACE-2), combined with calculated back trajectories can be used to define the physical properties of the sub-micron aerosol in marine boundary layer (MBL) air masses from the remote Southern Ocean, Western Europe, the Iberian coast, the Mediterranean and the background Atlantic Ocean. The differences in these aerosol properties, combined with dimethylsulfide, sulfur dioxide and meteorological measurements provide a means to assess processes that affect the aerosol distribution. The background sub-micron aerosol measured over the Atlantic Ocean during ACE-2 was more abundant (number and volume) and appeared to be more aged than that measured over the Southern Ocean during ACE-1. Based on seawater DMS measurements and wind speed, the oceanic source of non-sea-salt sulfur and sea-salt to the background marine atmosphere during ACE-1 and ACE-2 was similar. However, the synoptic meteorological pattern was quite different during ACE-1 and ACE-2. The frequent frontal passages during ACE-1 resulted in the mixing of nucleation mode particles into the marine boundary layer from the free troposphere and relatively short aerosol residence times. In the more stable meteorological setting of ACE-2, a significant nucleation mode aerosol was observed in the MBL only for a half day period associated with a weak frontal system. As a result of the longer MBL aerosol residence times, the average background ACE-2 accumulation mode aerosol had a larger diameter and higher number concentration than during ACE-1. The sub-micron aerosol number size distributions in the air masses that passed over Western Europe, the Mediterranean, and coastal Portugal were distinctly different from each other and the background aerosol. The differences can be attributed to the age of the air mass and the degree of cloud processing.
  • Item
    A comparison of aerosol chemical and optical properties from the 1st and 2nd Aerosol Characterization Experiments
    (Milton Park : Taylor & Francis, 2016) Quinn, P.K.; Bates, T.S.; Coffman, D.J.; Coffman, Derek J.; Miller, T.L.; Johnson, J.E.; Covert, D.S.; Putaud, J.- P.; Neusüß, C.; Novakov, T.
    Shipboard measurements of aerosol chemical composition and optical properties were made during both ACE-1 and ACE-2. ACE-1 focused on remote marine aerosol minimally perturbed by continental sources. ACE-2 studied the outflow of European aerosol into the NE Atlantic atmosphere. A variety of air masses were sampled during ACE-2 including Atlantic, polar, Iberian Peninsula, Mediterranean, and Western European. Reported here are mass size distributions of non-sea salt (nss) sulfate, sea salt, and methanesulfonate and submicron and supermicron concentrations of black and organic carbon. Optical parameters include submicron and supermicron aerosol scattering and backscattering coefficients at 550 nm, the absorption coefficient at 550±20 nm, the Ångström exponent for the 550 and 700 nm wavelength pair, and single scattering albedo at 550 nm. All data are reported at the measurement relative humidity of 55%. Measured concentrations of nss sulfate aerosol indicate that, relative to ACE-1, ACE-2 aerosol during both marine and continental flow was impacted by continental sources. Thus, while sea salt controlled the aerosol chemical composition and optical properties of both the submicron and supermicron aerosol during ACE-1, it played a relatively smaller role in ACE-2. This is confirmed by the larger average Ångström exponent for ACE-2 continental aerosol of 1.2±0.26 compared to the ACE-1 average of -0.03±0.38. The depletion of chloride from sea salt aerosol in ACE-2 continental air masses averaged 55±25% over all particle sizes. This compares to the ACE-2 marine average of 4.8±18% and indicates the enhanced interaction of anthropogenic acids with sea salt as continental air masses are transported into the marine atmosphere. Single scattering albedos averaged 0.95±0.03 for ACE-2 continental air masses. Averages for ACE-2 and ACE-1 marine air masses were 0.98±0.01 and 0.99±0.01, respectively.