geomon
Global Earth Observation and Monitoring
of the Atmosphere

 

WP 3.1: Assessment of the extent, geographical coverage
and aerosol type in Europe

Objectives

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Assessment of European sites monitoring aerosols
? Improvement of remote sensing of aerosol microphysical properties
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Assessment of European sites monitoring aerosols

Aerosol microphysical, chemical data and radiative data beyond March 2005 are compiled and archived. The work capitalizes on Networking activities of the EU FP6 Project European Supersites for Atmospheric Aerosol Research (EUSAAR). Aerosol optical properties include those of aerosol optical depth (AOD) through the French PHOTONS network and through the AERONET (AErosol RObotic NETwork) network, and of aerosol vertical Lidar profile data through the EU 5FP/FP5 EARLINET-ASOS lidar network. An overview of the existing aerosol monitoring stations is shown in the figure below.

European sites monitoring aerosol properties after 2004

European sites monitoring aerosol properties after 2004 map established by
C. Lund Myhre, M. Fiebig, K. Tørseth, A.-G. Hjellbrekke, and A. M. Fjaeraa, NILU)
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Improvement of ground-based remote sensing aerosol microphysical properties

Aerosol microphysical properties (refractive indices, particle’s size distribution and shape parameter) retrieved from ground-based remote sensing measurements have been improved by using a new observation technique and an improved inversion algorithm. Results are compared in the figure below.

comparison of methods

Comparison of aerosol microphysical properties retrieved from ground-based remote sensing measurements at 2 stations from two methos (left plots: Beijing, right plots: Xianghe). The upper row shos the particle’s size distribution (dV/dlnr) and the lower row the refractive indices (n). The results from the new observation technique and the improved inversion algorithm are denoted by “P” (polarimetry-based measurements) )and those from the old method by “I” (intensity measurements).


The ground-based sun-sky radiometer can measure the solar intensity as well as the angular distribution of sky radiance, i.e. perform polarimetric measurements.

Due to the complexity of the aerosol detection in the atmosphere, using intensity measurements only is insufficient to reveal all aerosol parameters accurately. Polarimetric measurements can provide valuable independent information and additional constraints that greatly improve the retrieved aerosol properties. We have developped a new polarimetry-based method based on instrument upgrade (adding multi-wavelength polarization capacity) and improvements of the inversion algorithm. The results show significant improvements for the retrieval of aerosol microphysical properties as shown in the figure above, especially for small particles that play important roles in human health, atmospheric environment and climate change studies.

For more information, please contact PHOTONS, LOA, Univ. Lille 1, France
zhengqiang.liatuniv-lille1.fr; philippe.goloubatuniv-lille1.fr; oleg.dubovikatuniv-lille1.fr
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