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

Measurement report: Intercomparison of cloud spectrometers and a holographic probe during the ACTRIS sub-zero in-cloud Campaign at Sonnblick Observatory
Konstantinos Matthaios Doulgeris, David Brus, Christian Maier, Naděžda Zikova, Kajal Julaha, Cuiqi Zhang, Zamin A. Kanji, Ville Kaikkonen, Harri Juttula, Eero Molkoselkä, Anssi Makynen, Mika Komppula, Sergej Sel, and Elke Ludewig
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3898,https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3898, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
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