References

ACP

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics

ACP

Atmos. Chem. Phys.

1680-7324

Copernicus Publications

Göttingen, Germany

10.5194/acp-11-12535-2011

Column-integrated aerosol microphysical properties from AERONET Sun photometer over southwestern Spain

Prats

³ ¹ Cachorro

V. E.

¹ Berjón

² Toledano

¹ De Frutos

A. M.

Atmopheric Optics Group GOA-UVA, University of Valladolid, Prado de la Magdalena s/n, 47071, Valladolid, Spain

Izaña Atmospheric Research Center (CIAI). Meteorological State Agency of Spain (AEMET), Sta. Cruz de Tenerife, Spain

now at: Grupo de Predicción y Vigilancia – Delegación Territorial Canarias, Meteorological State Agency of Spain (AEMET), Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain

15 12 2011

11 24 12535 12547

2011

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

This article is available from https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/11/12535/2011/acp-11-12535-2011.html

The full text article is available as a PDF file from https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/11/12535/2011/acp-11-12535-2011.pdf

The aim of the present work is to carry out a detailed analysis of columnar microphysical properties obtained from Cimel sun-photometer measurements in the Southwest of Spain within the frame of the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) – Iberian Network for aerosol measurements (RIMA). AERONET level 2 inversion products are analysed, in particular the particle size distribution together with their associated microphysical parameters for both fine and coarse modes: volume concentration, effective radius and the fine mode volume fraction. This work complements previous works based on aerosol optical depth (AOD) and the Ångström exponent (AE) for a global characterization of atmospheric aerosol in this area of southwestern Spain. The analysed dataset spans between February 2000 and October 2008. Time series and statistical analysis has been carried out for these parameters in order to assess their typical values and seasonality together with their relationships with the AOD and AE. Mean values of volume particle concentration are 0.06±0.07 μm3 μm−2 for total, 0.019±0.015 μm3 μm−2 for fine and 0.04±0.06 μm3 μm−2 for coarse mode; mean effective radii are 0.40±0.19 μm for total, 0.14±0.02 μm for fine and 1.96±0.41 μm for coarse mode. The most relevant features are the clear bimodality of the volume particle size distribution, with a slight dominance of the coarse mode in the overall climatology given the prevailing atmospheric conditions at the site (coastal marine). There is a clear prevalence of the coarse mode in summer months plus September and March, in coincidence with the occurrence of desert dust intrusions and highest AOD values. During desert dust outbreaks, the particle size distribution is practically monomodal with strong prevalence of the coarse mode which also shows a shift of the modal radius toward lower values. The size particle predominance defines the characteristic of the site and it has been analysed under two different parameters: the Ångström exponent and the fine mode volume fraction Vf/Vt. We investigated the relationship between them and also their relationship with the effective radius of the size distribution.

References 1

Ångström, A. Techniques of determining the atmospheric turbidity, Tellus 16(1), 64-75, 1961.

Bennouna, Y. S., Cachorro, V. E., Toledano, C., Berjón, A., Prats, N., Fuertes, D., Gonzalez, R., Rodrigo, R., Torres, B., and de Frutos, A.: Comparison of atmospheric aerosol climatologies over southwestern Spain derived from AERONET and MODIS. Remote Sens. Environ., 115, 1272–1284, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2011.01.011">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2011.01.011</a>, 2011.

Cachorro, V. E. and de Frutos, A. M.: A revised study of the validity of the general Junge relationship at solar wavelengths: Application to vertical atmospheric aerosol layer studies, Atmos. Res., 39, 113–126, 1995.

Cachorro, V. E., Vergaz, R., and de Frutos, A. M. A quantitative comparison of alpha Ångström turbidity parameter retrieved in different spectral ranges based on spectroradiometer solar radiation measurements, Atmos. Environ., 35, 5117–5124, 2001.

Cachorro, V. E., Toledano, C., Sorribas, M., Berjón, A., de Frutos A. M., and Laulainen, N.: An "in situ" calibration-correction procedure (KCICLO) based on AOD diurnal cycle: Comparative results between AERONET and reprocessed (KCICLO method) AOD-alpha data series 2000–2004 at El Arenosillo (Spain), J. Geophys. Res., 113, D02207. <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2007JD009001">https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JD009001</a>, 2008.

Dubovik, O. and King, M. D.: A flexible inversion algorithm for retrieval of aerosol optical properties from Sun and sky radiance measurements, J. Geophys. Res., 105, 20673–20696, 2000.

Dubovik, O., Smirnov, A., Holben, B., King, M. D., Kaufman, Y. J., Eck, T. F., and Slutsker, I. Accuracy assessments of aerosol optical properties retrieved from Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) Sun and sky radiance measurements, J. Geophys. Res., 105, 9791–9806, 2000.

Dubovik, O., Sinyuk, A., Lapyonak, T., Holben, B., Mishchenko, M., Yang, P., Eck, T., Volten, H., Muñoz, O., Veihelmann, B., van der Zande, J., Leon, J., Sorokin, M., and Slutsker, I.: Application of spheroid models to account for aerosol particle nonsphericity in remote sensing of desert dust. J. Geophys. Res., 111, D11208, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2005JD006619">https://doi.org/10.1029/2005JD006619</a>, 2006.

Eck, T. F., Holben, B. N., Reid, J. S., Dubovik, O., Smirnov, A., O'Neill, N. T., Slutsker, I., and Kinne, S.: Wavelengh dependence of the optical depth of biomass burning, urban, and desert dust aerosols. J. Geophys. Res., 104, 31333–31349, 1999.

Eck, T. F., Holben, B. N., Dubovik, O., Smirnov, A., Slutsker, I., Lobert, J. M., and Ramanathan, V. Column-integrated aerosol optical properties over the Maldives during the northeast monsoon for 1998–2000. J. Geophys. Res., 106, 28555–28566, https://doi.org/2001JD000786, 2001.

Eck, T. F., Holben, B. N., Dubovik, O., Smirnov, A., Goloub, P., Chen, H. B., Chatenet, B., Gomes, L., Zhang, X. Y., Tsay, S. C., Ji, Q., Giles, D., and Slutsker, I. Columnar aerosol optical properties at AERONET sites in central eastern Asia and aerosol transport to the tropical mid-Pacific, J. Geophys. Res., 110, D06202, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2004JD005274">https://doi.org/10.1029/2004JD005274</a>, 2005.

Escudero, M., Castillo, S., Querol, X., Avila, A., Alarcon, M., Viana, M. M., Alastuey, A., Cuevas, E., and Rodriguez, S.: Wet and dry African dust episodes over eastern Spain, J. Geophys. Res., 110, D18S08, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2004JD004731">https://doi.org/10.1029/2004JD004731</a>, 2005.

Gonzi, S., Baumgartner, D., and Putz, E.: Aerosol Climatology and Optical Properties of Key Aerosol Types Observed in Europe, IGAM/UG Technical Report for EU No. 1/2002 EDUCE, <a href="http://www.uni-graz.at/en/igam1www_gonzi_educe_b.pdf">http://www.uni-graz.at/en/igam1www_gonzi_educe_b.pdf</a>, 2002.

Guerrero-Rascado, J. l., Olmo, F. J., Avilés-Rodriguez, I., Navas-Guzmán, F., Pérez-Ramírez, D., Lyamani, H., and Alados-Arboledas, L. Extreme Saharan dust event over the southern Iberian Peninsula in september 2007: active and passive remote sensing from surface and satellite, Atmos. Chem. Phys. 9, 8453–8469, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/acp-9-8453-2009">https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-9-8453-2009</a>, 2009.

Hansen, J. E. and Travis, L. D.: Light scattering in planetary atmospheres. Space Sci. Rev., 16, 527–610, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00168069">https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00168069</a>, 1974.

Hess, M., Koepke, P., and Schult, I.: Optical properties of aerosols and clouds: The software package OPAC, B. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 79, 831–844, 1998.

Holben, B., Eck, T. F., Slutsker, I., Tanré, D., Buis, J. P., Setzer, P., Vermote, E., Reagan, J. A., Kaufman, Y. J., Nakajima, T., Lavenu, F., Jankowiak, I., and Smirnov, A.: AERONET- A Federated Instrument Network and Data Archive for Aerosol Characterization, Rem. Sens. Environ., 66, 1–16, 1998.

Holben, B., Eck, T. F., Slutsker, I., Smirnov, A., Sinyuk, A., Schafer, J., Giles, D., and Dubovik, O.: AERONET's Version 2.0 quality assurance criteria. AERONET Technical and Quality Assurance Documents, 2006.

IPCC-Report 2007. Solomon, S., Qin, D., Manning, M., Chen, Z., Marquies, M., Averyt, K. B., Tignor, M., and Miller, H. L. (eds.): Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, New York, USA, Chapter 2.4, 2007.

Junge, C. E.: Air Chemistry and Radioactivity, Academic Press, New York, USA, 165–176, 1963.

Nakajima, T., Tonna, G., Rao, R., Boi, P., Kaufman, Y., and Holben, B.: Use of brightness measurements from ground for remote sensing of particulate polydispersions, Appl. Opt., 35, 2672–2686, 1996.

Olmo, F. J., Quirantes, A., Alcántara, A., Lyamani, H., and Alados-Arboledas, L.: Preliminary results of non-spherical aerosol method for the retrieval of the atmospheric aerosol optical properties. J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transfer, 100, 305–314, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jqsrt.2005.11.047">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jqsrt.2005.11.047</a>, 2006.

Olmo, F. J., Quirantes, A., Lara, V., Lyamani, H., and Alados-Arboledas, L.: Aerosol optical properties assessed by an inversion method using the solar principal plane for non-spherical particles, J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transfer, 109, 1504–1516, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jqsrt.2007.12.019">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jqsrt.2007.12.019</a>, 2008.

Ortiz de Galisteo, P., Análisis del contenido total en columna de vapor de agua atmosférico sobre la Pen\'insula Ibérica medido con distintas técnicas: radiosondeos, fotómetros solares, y sistema GPS, PhD Thesis, Valladolid University, Valladolid, Spain, 2011.

O'Neil, N. T., Eck, T. F., Holben, B. N., Smirnov, A., and Dubovik, O.: Bimodal size distribution influences on the variation of Angstrom derivatives in spectral and optical depth space. J. Geophys. Res., 106, 9787–9806, 2001.

Prats, N., Cachorro, V. E., Sorribas, M., Mogo, S., Berjón, A., Toledano, C., de Frutos, A. M., de la Rosa, J., Laulainen, N., and de la Morena, B. A.: Columnar aerosol optical properties during "El Arenosillo 2004 summer campaign", Atmos. Environ., 42, 2643–2653, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2007.07.041">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2007.07.041</a>, 2008.

Prats, N.: Utilización del fotómetro Cimel (AERONET) para el análisis de parámetros microfísicos y radiativos del aerosol atmosférico en el suroeste de la Península Ibérica, PhD Thesis, Valladolid University, Valladolid, Spain, 2009.

Schuster, G. L., Dubovik, O., and Holben, B. N.: Angstrom exponent and bimodal aerosol size distribution. J. Geophys. Res., 111, D07207, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2005JD006328">https://doi.org/10.1029/2005JD006328</a>, 2006.

Shifrin, K. S.: Simple relationships for the Ångström parameter of disperse systems, Appl. Opt., 34, 4480–4485, 1995.

Smirnov, A., Holben, B. N., Eck, T. F., Dubovik, O., and Slutsker, I.: Cloud-screening and Quality Control Algorithms for the AERONET Database, Remote Sens. Environ., 73, 337–349, 2000.

Sorribas, M.: Medida y caracterización del aerosol atmosférico en un ambiente rural y costero del suroeste de Europa. La distribución numérica de tamaños en el rango sub-micrométrico, PhD Thesis, Valladolid University, Valladolid, Spain, 2008.

Toledano, C., Cachorro, V. E., Berjón, A., de Frutos, A. M., Sorribas, M., de la Morena, B. A., and Goloub, P.: Aerosol optical depth and Ångström exponent climatology at El Arenosillo AERONET site (Huelva, Spain), Q. J. Roy. Meteorol. Soc., 133, 795–807, 2007a.

Toledano, C., Cachorro, V. E., de Frutos, A. M., Sorribas, M., Prats, N., and de la Morena, B. A. Inventory of African desert dust events over the southwestern Iberian Peninsula in 2000–2005 with an AERONET sunphotometer, J. Geophys. Res., 112, D21201. <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2006JD008307">https://doi.org/10.1029/2006JD008307</a>, 2007b.

Toledano, C., Cachorro, V. E., de Frutos, A. M., Torres, B., Berjón, A., Sorribas, M., and Stone, R. S.: Air masses classification and analysis of aerosol types at El Arenosillo (Spain), J. App. Meteor. Climat., 48, 962–981, 2009.

Vergaz, R., Cachorro, V. E., de Frutos, A. M., Vilaplana, J. M., and de la Morena, B.: Columnar characteristics of aerosols in the maritime area of the Cádiz Gulf (Spain). Int. J. Climat., 25, 1781–1804, https://doi.org/101002/joc.1208, 2005.

Waggoner, A. P., Weiss, R., Ahlquist, N., Covert, D., Will, S., and Charlson, R.: Optical characteristics of atmospheric aerosols, Atmos. Environ., 15, 1891–1909, 1981.

Wendisch, M. and Von Hoyningen-Huene, W.: Possibility of refractive index determination of atmospheric aerosol particles by ground-based solar extinction and scattering measurements, Atmos. Environ., 28, 785–792, 1994.