Discrimination of aerosol types and absorbing aerosols
Abstract
Aerosol particles are one of the most variable components in the Earth's atmosphere, affecting the radiative balance and influencing the climate system by direct and indirect effects. To evaluate these two effects the optical-radiative properties of aerosols are the key elements and hence the necessity of their retrieval. Many detailed campaigns of measurements have been carried out in the past and will continue in the future at different sites in the world to assess all these aerosol properties which are relevant to evaluate the aerosol climate forcing ARF. Otherwise worldwide aerosol networks, as AERONET, are also a potential tool for the aerosol characterization and evaluation of ARF. The most relevant aerosol parameters involved are the aerosol optical depth AOD, the Angstrom exponent AE, and the single scattering albedo SSA or the absorption aerosol optical depth AAOD. Working with remote sensing aerosol data, like those provided by sun-photometer or spectroradiometers, requires inverse radiative transfer algorithms to retrieve the earlier men-tioned optical properties. For instance, AERONET provide sufficient parameters for the aerosol type discrimination, allowing differentiate continental, marine, desert, smoke, etc. aerosol types. Traditionally, AOD-AE plots allow a good discrimination which is enriched with air masses in-formation. Although aerosol types determined in this way gives some insights about aerosol composition this is not sufficient. SSA or AAOD gives the required additional information which is also improved if the absorption Angstrom exponent (AAE) is added. Thus, taking spectral information of all of these parameters can help us to identify some features or signa-tures about aerosol composition. In this framework and in the near future we will work in the link or connexion between columnar AERONET aerosol properties and those given by "in situ" aerosol information data.
- Publication:
-
38th COSPAR Scientific Assembly
- Pub Date:
- 2010
- Bibcode:
- 2010cosp...38..186C