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Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    Remote sensing and modelling analysis of the extreme dust storm hitting the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean in September 2015
    (Katlenburg-Lindau : EGU, 2017) Solomos, Stavros; Ansmann, Albert; Mamouri, Rodanthi-Elisavet; Binietoglou, Ioannis; Patlakas, Platon; Marinou, Eleni; Amiridis, Vassilis
    The extreme dust storm that affected the Middle East and the eastern Mediterranean in September 2015 resulted in record-breaking dust loads over Cyprus with aerosol optical depth exceeding 5.0 at 550ĝ€nm. We analyse this event using profiles from the European Aerosol Research Lidar Network (EARLINET) and the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO), geostationary observations from the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI), and high-resolution simulations from the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS). The analysis of modelling and remote sensing data reveals the main mechanisms that resulted in the generation and persistence of the dust cloud over the Middle East and Cyprus. A combination of meteorological and surface processes is found, including (a) the development of a thermal low in the area of Syria that results in unstable atmospheric conditions and dust mobilization in this area, (b) the convective activity over northern Iraq that triggers the formation of westward-moving haboobs that merge with the previously elevated dust layer, and (c) the changes in land use due to war in the areas of northern Iraq and Syria that enhance dust erodibility.
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    GARRLiC and LIRIC: Strengths and limitations for the characterization of dust and marine particles along with their mixtures
    (Katlenburg-Lindau : Copernicus, 2017) Tsekeri, Alexandra; Lopatin, Anton; Amiridis, Vassilis; Marinou, Eleni; Igloffstein, Julia; Siomos, Nikolaos; Solomos, Stavros; Kokkalis, Panagiotis; Engelmann, Ronny; Baars, Holger; Gratsea, Myrto; Raptis, Panagiotis I.; Binietoglou, Ioannis; Mihalopoulos, Nikolaos; Kalivitis, Nikolaos; Kouvarakis, Giorgos; Bartsotas, Nikolaos; Kallos, George; Basart, Sara; Schuettemeyer, Dirk; Wandinger, Ulla; Ansmann, Albert; Chaikovsky, Anatoli P.; Dubovik, Oleg
    The Generalized Aerosol Retrieval from Radiometer and Lidar Combined data algorithm (GARRLiC) and the LIdar-Radiometer Inversion Code (LIRIC) provide the opportunity to study the aerosol vertical distribution by combining ground-based lidar and sun-photometric measurements. Here, we utilize the capabilities of both algorithms for the characterization of Saharan dust and marine particles, along with their mixtures, in the south-eastern Mediterranean during the CHARacterization of Aerosol mixtures of Dust and Marine origin Experiment (CHARADMExp). Three case studies are presented, focusing on dust-dominated, marinedominated and dust-marine mixing conditions. GARRLiC and LIRIC achieve a satisfactory characterization for the dust-dominated case in terms of particle microphysical properties and concentration profiles. The marine-dominated and the mixture cases are more challenging for both algorithms, although GARRLiC manages to provide more detailed microphysical retrievals compared to AERONET, while LIRIC effectively discriminates dust and marine particles in its concentration profile retrievals. The results are also compared with modelled dust and marine concentration profiles and surface in situ measurements.
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    An EARLINET early warning system for atmospheric aerosol aviation hazards
    (Katlenburg-Lindau : EGU, 2020) Papagiannopoulos, Nikolaos; D’Amico, Giuseppe; Gialitaki, Anna; Ajtai, Nicolae; Alados-Arboledas, Lucas; Amodeo, Aldo; Amiridis, Vassilis; Baars, Holger; Balis, Dimitris; Binietoglou, Ioannis; Comerón, Adolfo; Dionisi, Davide; Falconieri, Alfredo; Fréville, Patrick; Kampouri, Anna; Mattis, Ina; Mijić, Zoran; Molero, Francisco; Papayannis, Alex; Pappalardo, Gelsomina; Rodríguez-Gómez, Alejandro; Solomos, Stavros; Mona, Lucia
    A stand-alone lidar-based method for detecting airborne hazards for aviation in near real time (NRT) is presented. A polarization lidar allows for the identification of irregular-shaped particles such as volcanic dust and desert dust. The Single Calculus Chain (SCC) of the European Aerosol Research Lidar Network (EARLINET) delivers high-resolution preprocessed data: the calibrated total attenuated backscatter and the calibrated volume linear depolarization ratio time series. From these calibrated lidar signals, the particle backscatter coefficient and the particle depolarization ratio can be derived in temporally high resolution and thus provide the basis of the NRT early warning system (EWS). In particular, an iterative method for the retrieval of the particle backscatter is implemented. This improved capability was designed as a pilot that will produce alerts for imminent threats for aviation. The method is applied to data during two diverse aerosol scenarios: first, a record breaking desert dust intrusion in March 2018 over Finokalia, Greece, and, second, an intrusion of volcanic particles originating from Mount Etna, Italy, in June 2019 over Antikythera, Greece. Additionally, a devoted observational period including several EARLINET lidar systems demonstrates the network's preparedness to offer insight into natural hazards that affect the aviation sector. © 2020 Author(s).
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    Three-dimensional evolution of Saharan dust transport towards Europe based on a 9-year EARLINET-optimized CALIPSO dataset
    (Katlenburg-Lindau : EGU, 2017) Marinou, Eleni; Amiridis, Vassilis; Binietoglou, Ioannis; Tsikerdekis, Athanasios; Solomos, Stavros; Proestakis, Emannouil; Konsta, Dimitra; Papagiannopoulos, Nikolaos; Tsekeri, Alexandra; Vlastou, Georgia; Zanis, Prodromos; Balis, Dimitrios; Wandinger, Ulla; Ansmann, Albert
    In this study we use a new dust product developed using CALIPSO (Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation) observations and EARLINET (European Aerosol Research Lidar Network) measurements and methods to provide a 3-D multiyear analysis on the evolution of Saharan dust over North Africa and Europe. The product uses a CALIPSO L2 backscatter product corrected with a depolarization-based method to separate pure dust in external aerosol mixtures and a Saharan dust lidar ratio (LR) based on long-term EARLINET measurements to calculate the dust extinction profiles. The methodology is applied on a 9-year CALIPSO dataset (2007-2015) and the results are analyzed here to reveal for the first time the 3-D dust evolution and the seasonal patterns of dust over its transportation paths from the Sahara towards the Mediterranean and Continental Europe. During spring, the spatial distribution of dust shows a uniform pattern over the Sahara desert. The dust transport over the Mediterranean Sea results in mean dust optical depth (DOD) values up to 0.1. During summer, the dust activity is mostly shifted to the western part of the desert where mean DOD near the source is up to 0.6. Elevated dust plumes with mean extinction values between 10 and 75 Mm-1 are observed throughout the year at various heights between 2 and 6 km, extending up to latitudes of 40° N. Dust advection is identified even at latitudes of about 60° N, but this is due to rare events of episodic nature. Dust plumes of high DOD are also observed above the Balkans during the winter period and above northwest Europe during autumn at heights between 2 and 4 km, reaching mean extinction values up to 50 Mm-1. The dataset is considered unique with respect to its potential applications, including the evaluation of dust transport models and the estimation of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and ice nuclei (IN) concentration profiles. Finally, the product can be used to study dust dynamics during transportation, since it is capable of revealing even fine dynamical features such as the particle uplifting and deposition on European mountainous ridges such as the Alps and Carpathian Mountains.
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    Lidar Ice nuclei estimates and how they relate with airborne in-situ measurements
    (Les Ulis : EDP Sciences, 2018) Marinou, Eleni; Amiridis, Vassilis; Ansmann, Albert; Nenes, Athanasios; Balis, Dimitris; Schrod, Jann; Binietoglou, Ioannis; Solomos, Stavros; Mamali, Dimitra; Engelmann, Ronny; Baars, Holger; Kottas, Michael; Tsekeri, Alexandra; Proestakis, Emmanouil; Kokkalis, Panagiotis; Goloub, Philippe; Cvetkovic, Bojan; Nichovic, Slobodan; Mamouri, Rodanthi; Pikridas, Michael; Stavroulas, Iasonas; Keleshis, Christos; Sciare, Jean
    By means of available ice nucleating particle (INP) parameterization schemes we compute profiles of dust INP number concentration utilizing Polly-XT and CALIPSO lidar observations during the INUIT-BACCHUS-ACTRIS 2016 campaign. The polarization-lidar photometer networking (POLIPHON) method is used to separate dust and non-dust aerosol backscatter, extinction, mass concentration, particle number concentration (for particles with radius > 250 nm) and surface area concentration. The INP final products are compared with aerosol samples collected from unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and analyzed using the ice nucleus counter FRIDGE.
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    3D Structure of Saharan Dust Transport Towards Europe as Seen by CALIPSO
    (Les Ulis : EDP Sciences, 2016) Marinou, Eleni; Amiridis, Vassilis; Tsekeri, Alexandra; Solomos, Stavros; Kokkalis, Panos; Proestakis, Emmanouil; Kottas, Michael; Binietoglou, Ioannis; Zanis, Prodromos; Kazadzis, Stelios; Wandinger, Ulla; Ansmann, Albert
    We present a 3D multi-year monthly mean climatology of Saharan dust advection over Europe using an area-optimized pure dust CALIPSO product. The product has been developed by applying EARLINET-measured dust lidar ratios and depolarization-based dust discrimination methods and it is shown to have a very good agreement in terms of AOD when compared to AERONET over Europe/North Africa and MODIS over Mediterranean. The processing of such purely observational data reveals the certain seasonal patterns of dust transportation towards Europe and the Atlantic Ocean. The physical and optical properties of the dust layer are identified for several areas near the Saharan sources, over the Mediterranean and over continental Europe.
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    Aerosol absorption profiling from the synergy of lidar and sun-photometry: The ACTRIS-2 campaigns in Germany, Greece and Cyprus
    (Les Ulis : EDP Sciences, 2018) Tsekeri, Alexandra; Amiridis, Vassilis; Lopatin, Anton; Marinou, Eleni; Giannakaki, Eleni; Pikridas, Michael; Sciare, Jean; Liakakou, Eleni; Gerasopoulos, Evangelos; Duesing, Sebastian; Corbin, Joel C.; Gysel, Martin; Bukowiecki, Nicolas; Baars, Holger; Engelmann, Ronny; Wehner, Birgit; Kottas, Michael; Mamali, Dimitra; Kokkalis, Panagiotis; Raptis, Panagiotis I.; Stavroulas, Iasonas; Keleshis, Christos; Müller, Detlef; Solomos, Stavros; Binietoglou, Ioannis; Mihalopoulos, Nikolaos; Papayannis, Alexandros; Stachlewska, Iwona S.; Igloffstein, Julia; Wandinger, Ulla; Ansmann, Albert; Dubovik, Oleg; Goloub, Philippe; Nicolae, D.; Makoto, A.; Vassilis, A.; Balis, D.; Behrendt, A.; Comeron, A.; Gibert, F.; Landulfo, E.; McCormick, M.P.; Senff, C.; Veselovskii, I.; Wandinger, U.
    Aerosol absorption profiling is crucial for radiative transfer calculations and climate modelling. Here, we utilize the synergy of lidar with sun-photometer measurements to derive the absorption coefficient and single scattering albedo profiles during the ACTRIS-2 campaigns held in Germany, Greece and Cyprus. The remote sensing techniques are compared with in situ measurements in order to harmonize and validate the different methodologies and reduce the absorption profiling uncertainties.