Articles | Volume 25, issue 23
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-17933-2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-17933-2025
Research article
 | 
08 Dec 2025
Research article |  | 08 Dec 2025

Drone-based vertical profiling of particulate matter size distribution and carbonaceous aerosols: urban vs. rural environment

Kajal Julaha, Vladimír Ždímal, Saliou Mbengue, David Brus, and Naděžda Zíková

Related authors

In situ surface cloud measurement dataset from four cloud spectrometers during the Pallas Cloud Experiment (PaCE) 2022
Konstantinos Matthaios Doulgeris, Ville Kaikkonen, Harri Juttula, Eero Molkoselkä, Anssi Mäkynen, and David Brus
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 6497–6506, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-6497-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-6497-2025, 2025
Short summary
Xact625i vs. PX-375: a comparative study of online XRF ambient multi-metal monitors vs. ICP-MS
Laurence C. Windell, Saliou Mbengue, Petra Pokorná, Jaroslav Schwarz, André S. H. Prévôt, Manousos I. Manousakas, Stefanos Papagiannis, Jakub Ondráček, Roman Prokeš, and Vladimir Ždímal
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 7021–7038, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-7021-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-7021-2025, 2025
Short summary
Measurement of the ice-nucleating particle concentration using a mobile filter-based sampler on-board of a fixed-wing uncrewed aerial vehicle during the Pallas Cloud Experiment 2022
Alexander Böhmländer, Larissa Lacher, Kristina Höhler, David Brus, Konstantinos-Matthaios Doulgeris, Jessica Girdwood, Thomas Leisner, and Ottmar Möhler
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 6157–6164, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-6157-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-6157-2025, 2025
Short summary
Measurement of the ice-nucleating particle concentration with the Portable Ice Nucleation Experiment during the Pallas Cloud Experiment 2022
Alexander Böhmländer, Larissa Lacher, Romy Fösig, Nicole Büttner, Jens Nadolny, David Brus, Konstantinos-Matthaios Doulgeris, and Ottmar Möhler
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 6165–6171, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-6165-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-6165-2025, 2025
Short summary
Modelling anthropogenic aerosol sources and secondary organic aerosol formation: a wintertime study in central Europe
Hanna Wiedenhaus, Roland Schrödner, Ralf Wolke, Marie L. Luttkus, Shubhi Arora, Laurent Poulain, Radek Lhotka, Petr Vodička, Jaroslav Schwarz, Petra Pokorna, Jakub Ondráček, Vladimir Ždímal, Hartmut Herrmann, and Ina Tegen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 12893–12922, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-12893-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-12893-2025, 2025
Short summary

Cited articles

Alas, H. D. C., Müller, T., Weinhold, K., Pfeifer, S., Glojek, K., Gregorič, A., Močnik, G., Drinovec, L., Costabile, F., Ristorini, M., and Wiedensohler, A.: Performance of microAethalometers: Real-world Field Intercomparisons from Multiple Mobile Measurement Campaigns in Different Atmospheric Environments, Aerosol Air Qual. Res., 20, 2640–2653, https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2020.03.0113, 2020. 
Babu, S. S., Moorthy, K. K., Manchanda, R. K., Sinha, P. R., Satheesh, S. K., Vajja, D. P., Srinivasan, S., and Kumar, V. H. A.: Free tropospheric black carbon aerosol measurements using high altitude balloon: Do BC layers build “their own homes” up in the atmosphere?, Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, L08803, https://doi.org/10.1029/2011GL046654, 2011. 
Battaglia, M. A., Douglas, S., and Hennigan, C. J.: Effect of the Urban Heat Island on Aerosol pH, Environ. Sci. Technol., 51, 13095–13103, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.7b02786, 2017. 
Bezantakos, S., Costi, M., Barmpounis, K., Antoniou, P., Vouterakos, P., Keleshis, C., Sciare, J., and Biskos, G.: Qualification of the Alphasense optical particle counter for inline air quality monitoring, Aerosol Sci. Tech., 55, 361–370, 2020. 
Download
Short summary
This study used drones for vertical profiling of black carbon and particle number at rural and urban sites in Czechia. With aerosol drying, drone measurements matched with fixed instruments; without drying, black carbon was significantly overestimated. Rural profiles were more stratified in winter, while urban summer profiles were well-mixed. These findings can help improve air-quality monitoring and policies by capturing vertical pollution structures that ground stations cannot resolve.
Share
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint