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Measurement of Aerosols Optical Thickness of the Atmosphere using the GLOBE Handheld Sun Photometer
Published on: May 29, 2019
Hemispheric aerosol vertical profiles: anthropogenic impacts on optical depth and cloud nuclei
Antony Clarke1, Vladimir Kapustin
1School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST), University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA. tclarke@soest.hawaii.edu
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|September 18, 2010
Summary
Anthropogenic combustion significantly impacts aerosol optical depth (AOD) and clouds. This study reveals combustion-linked aerosol enhancements affect climate models and satellite data, crucial for understanding global climate change.
Area of Science:
- Atmospheric Science
- Climate Science
- Aerosol Science
Background:
- Anthropogenic combustion influences atmospheric aerosol properties.
- Accurate aerosol profiles are essential for understanding climate radiative forcing.
- Previous studies lacked comprehensive regional aerosol profile data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze vertical aerosol profiles from Pacific hemisphere airborne campaigns.
- To quantify the impact of combustion on aerosol characteristics.
- To link combustion aerosols to cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and aerosol optical depth (AOD).
Main Methods:
- Analysis of over 1000 vertical aerosol profiles from 11 airborne campaigns.
- Correlation of aerosol properties (scattering, mass, number) with carbon monoxide.
- Assessment of regional aerosol enhancements compared to unperturbed areas.
Main Results:
- Regional aerosol enhancements linked to combustion were observed.
- These enhancements, associated with carbon monoxide, exceeded unperturbed regions by over an order of magnitude.
- Increased aerosol light scattering, mass, and number were linked to combustion sources.
Conclusions:
- Combustion-driven aerosols significantly influence regional AOD and CCN proxies.
- Aerosol optical depth and cloud condensation nuclei are coupled and globally linked to aged combustion.
- These findings are vital for improving climate models and satellite aerosol retrievals.
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