Analysis of fine-mode aerosol retrieval capabilities by different passive remote sensing instrument designs.

PubMed

Knobelspiesse, Kirk; Cairns, Brian; Mishchenko, Michael; Chowdhary, Jacek; Tsigaridis, Kostas; van Diedenhoven, Bastiaan; Martin, William; Ottaviani, Matteo; Alexandrov, Mikhail

2012-09-10

Remote sensing of aerosol optical properties is difficult, but multi-angle, multi-spectral, polarimetric instruments have the potential to retrieve sufficient information about aerosols that they can be used to improve global climate models. However, the complexity of these instruments means that it is difficult to intuitively understand the relationship between instrument design and retrieval success. We apply a Bayesian statistical technique that relates instrument characteristics to the information contained in an observation. Using realistic simulations of fine size mode dominated spherical aerosols, we investigate three instrument designs. Two of these represent instruments currently in orbit: the Multiangle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) and the POLarization and Directionality of the Earths Reflectances (POLDER). The third is the Aerosol Polarimetry Sensor (APS), which failed to reach orbit during recent launch, but represents a viable design for future instruments. The results show fundamental differences between the three, and offer suggestions for future instrument design and the optimal retrieval strategy for current instruments. Generally, our results agree with previous validation efforts of POLDER and airborne prototypes of APS, but show that the MISR aerosol optical thickness uncertainty characterization is possibly underestimated.

Aerosol monitoring during carbon nanofiber production: mobile direct-reading sampling.

PubMed

Evans, Douglas E; Ku, Bon Ki; Birch, M Eileen; Dunn, Kevin H

2010-07-01

Detailed investigations were conducted at a facility that manufactures and processes carbon nanofibers (CNFs). Presented research summarizes the direct-reading monitoring aspects of the study. A mobile aerosol sampling platform, equipped with an aerosol instrument array, was used to characterize emissions at different locations within the facility. Particle number, respirable mass, active surface area, and photoelectric response were monitored with a condensation particle counter (CPC), a photometer, a diffusion charger, and a photoelectric aerosol sensor, respectively. CO and CO(2) were additionally monitored. Combined simultaneous monitoring of these metrics can be utilized to determine source and relative contribution of airborne particles (CNFs and others) within a workplace. Elevated particle number concentrations, up to 1.15 x 10(6) cm(-3), were found within the facility but were not due to CNFs. Ultrafine particle emissions, released during thermal treatment of CNFs, were primarily responsible. In contrast, transient increases in respirable particle mass concentration, with a maximum of 1.1 mg m(-3), were due to CNF release through uncontrolled transfer and bagging. Of the applied metrics, our findings suggest that particle mass was probably the most useful and practical metric for monitoring CNF emissions in this facility. Through chemical means, CNFs may be selectively distinguished from other workplace contaminants (Birch et al., in preparation), and for direct-reading monitoring applications, the photometer was found to provide a reasonable estimate of respirable CNF mass concentration. Particle size distribution measurements were conducted with an electrical low-pressure impactor and a fast particle size spectrometer. Results suggest that the dominant CNF mode by particle number lies between 200 and 250 nm for both aerodynamic and mobility equivalent diameters. Significant emissions of CO were also evident in this facility. Exposure control

Aerosol Monitoring during Carbon Nanofiber Production: Mobile Direct-Reading Sampling

PubMed Central

Evans, Douglas E.; Ku, Bon Ki; Birch, M. Eileen; Dunn, Kevin H.

2010-01-01

Detailed investigations were conducted at a facility that manufactures and processes carbon nanofibers (CNFs). Presented research summarizes the direct-reading monitoring aspects of the study. A mobile aerosol sampling platform, equipped with an aerosol instrument array, was used to characterize emissions at different locations within the facility. Particle number, respirable mass, active surface area, and photoelectric response were monitored with a condensation particle counter (CPC), a photometer, a diffusion charger, and a photoelectric aerosol sensor, respectively. CO and CO2 were additionally monitored. Combined simultaneous monitoring of these metrics can be utilized to determine source and relative contribution of airborne particles (CNFs and others) within a workplace. Elevated particle number concentrations, up to 1.15 × 106 cm−3, were found within the facility but were not due to CNFs. Ultrafine particle emissions, released during thermal treatment of CNFs, were primarily responsible. In contrast, transient increases in respirable particle mass concentration, with a maximum of 1.1 mg m−3, were due to CNF release through uncontrolled transfer and bagging. Of the applied metrics, our findings suggest that particle mass was probably the most useful and practical metric for monitoring CNF emissions in this facility. Through chemical means, CNFs may be selectively distinguished from other workplace contaminants (Birch et al., in preparation), and for direct-reading monitoring applications, the photometer was found to provide a reasonable estimate of respirable CNF mass concentration. Particle size distribution measurements were conducted with an electrical low-pressure impactor and a fast particle size spectrometer. Results suggest that the dominant CNF mode by particle number lies between 200 and 250 nm for both aerodynamic and mobility equivalent diameters. Significant emissions of CO were also evident in this facility. Exposure control recommendations

Developments in the Aerosol Layer Height Retrieval Algorithm for the Copernicus Sentinel-4/UVN Instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nanda, Swadhin; Sanders, Abram; Veefkind, Pepijn

2016-04-01

The Sentinel-4 mission is a part of the European Commission's Copernicus programme, the goal of which is to provide geo-information to manage environmental assets, and to observe, understand and mitigate the effects of the changing climate. The Sentinel-4/UVN instrument design is motivated by the need to monitor trace gas concentrations and aerosols in the atmosphere from a geostationary orbit. The on-board instrument is a high resolution UV-VIS-NIR (UVN) spectrometer system that provides hourly radiance measurements over Europe and northern Africa with a spatial sampling of 8 km. The main application area of Sentinel-4/UVN is air quality. One of the data products that is being developed for Sentinel-4/UVN is the Aerosol Layer Height (ALH). The goal is to determine the height of aerosol plumes with a resolution of better than 0.5 - 1 km. The ALH product thus targets aerosol layers in the free troposphere, such as desert dust, volcanic ash and biomass during plumes. KNMI is assigned with the development of the Aerosol Layer Height (ALH) algorithm. Its heritage is the ALH algorithm developed by Sanders and De Haan (ATBD, 2016) for the TROPOMI instrument on board the Sentinel-5 Precursor mission that is to be launched in June or July 2016 (tentative date). The retrieval algorithm designed so far for the aerosol height product is based on the absorption characteristics of the oxygen-A band (759-770 nm). The algorithm has heritage to the ALH algorithm developed for TROPOMI on the Sentinel 5 precursor satellite. New aspects for Sentinel-4/UVN include the higher resolution (0.116 nm compared to 0.4 for TROPOMI) and hourly observation from the geostationary orbit. The algorithm uses optimal estimation to obtain a spectral fit of the reflectance across absorption band, while assuming a single uniform layer with fixed width to represent the aerosol vertical distribution. The state vector includes amongst other elements the height of this layer and its aerosol optical

Spectral Aerosol Extinction (SpEx): A New Instrument for In situ Ambient Aerosol Extinction Measurements Across the UV/Visible Wavelength Range

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jordan, C. E.; Anderson, B. E.; Beyersdorf, A. J.; Corr, C. A.; Dibb, J. E.; Greenslade, M. E.; Martin, R. F.; Moore, R. H.; Scheuer, E.; Shook, M. A.;

The Global Ozone and Aerosol Profiles and Aerosol Hygroscopic Effect and Absorption Optical Depth (GOA2HEAD) Network Initiative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, R. S.; Elkins, J. W.; Frost, G. J.; McComiskey, A. C.; Murphy, D. M.; Ogren, J. A.; Petropavlovskikh, I. V.; Rosenlof, K. H.

2014-12-01

Inverse modeling using measurements of ozone (O3) and aerosol is a powerful tool for deriving pollutant emissions. Because they have relatively long lifetimes, O3 and aerosol are transported over large distances. Frequent and globally spaced vertical profiles rather than ground-based measurements alone are therefore highly desired. Three requirements necessary for a successful global monitoring program are: Low equipment cost, low operation cost, and reliable measurements of known uncertainty. Conventional profiling using aircraft provides excellent data, but is cost prohibitive on a large scale. Here we describe a new platform and instruments meeting all three global monitoring requirements. The platform consists of a small balloon and an auto-homing glider. The glider is released from the balloon at about 5 km altitude, returning the light instrument package to the launch location, and allowing for consistent recovery of the payload. Atmospheric profiling can be performed either during ascent or descent (or both) depending on measurement requirements. We will present the specifications for two instrument packages currently under development. The first measures O3, RH, p, T, dry aerosol particle number and size distribution, and aerosol optical depth. The second measures dry aerosol particle number and size distribution, and aerosol absorption coefficient. Other potential instrument packages and the desired spatial/temporal resolution for the GOA2HEAD monitoring initiative will also be discussed.

Comparison of the DiSCmini aerosol monitor to a handheld condensation particle counter and a scanning mobility particle sizer for submicrometer sodium chloride and metal aerosols

PubMed Central

Mills, Jessica B.; Park, Jae Hong; Peters, Thomas M.

2016-01-01

We evaluated the robust, lightweight DiSCmini (DM) aerosol monitor for its ability to measure the concentration and mean diameter of submicrometer aerosols. Tests were conducted with monodispersed and polydispersed aerosols composed of two particle types (sodium chloride, NaCl, and spark generated metal particles, which simulate particles found in welding fume) at three different steady-state concentration ranges (Low, <103; Medium, 103–104; and High, >104 particles/cm3). Particle number concentration, lung deposited surface area (LDSA) concentration, and mean size measured with the DM were compared to those measured with reference instruments, a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) and a handheld condensation particle counter (CPC). Particle number concentrations measured with the DM were within 21% of those measured by reference instruments for polydisperse aerosols. Poorer agreement was observed for monodispersed aerosols (±35% for most tests and +130% for 300-nm NaCl). LDSA concentrations measured by the DM were 96% to 155% of those estimated with the SMPS. The geometric mean diameters measured with the DM were within 30% of those measured with the SMPS for monodispersed aerosols and within 25% for polydispersed aerosols (except for the case when the aerosol contained a substantial number of particles larger than 300 nm). The accuracy of the DM is reasonable for particles smaller than 300 nm but caution should be exercised when particles larger than 300 nm are present. PMID:23473056

Remote Sensing of Aerosol Over the Land from the Earth Observing System MODIS Instrument

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufman, Yoram; Tanre, Didier; Remer, Lorraine; Einaudi, Franco (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

On Dec 18, 1999, NASA launched the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument on the Earth Observing System (EOS) Terra mission, in a spectacular launch. The mission will provide morning (10:30 AM) global observations of aerosol and other related parameters. It will be followed a year later by a MODIS instrument on EOS Aqua for afternoon observations (1:30 PM). MODIS will measure aerosol over land and ocean with its eight 500 m and 250 m channels in the solar spectrum (0-41 to 2.2 micrometers). Over the land MODIS will measure the total column aerosol loading, and distinguish between submicron pollution particles and large soil particles. Standard daily products of resolution of ten kilometers and global mapped eight day and monthly products on a 1x1 degree global scale will be produced routinely and make available for no or small reproduction charge to the international community. Though the aerosol products will not be available everywhere over the land, it is expected that they will be useful for assessments of the presence, sources and transport of urban pollution, biomass burning aerosol, and desert dust. Other measurements from MODIS will supplement the aerosol information, e.g., land use change, urbanization, presence and magnitude of biomass burning fires, and effect of aerosol on cloud microphysics. Other instruments on Terra, e.g. Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) and the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES), will also measure aerosol, its properties and radiative forcing in tandem with the MODIS measurements. During the Aqua period, there are plans to launch in 2003 the Pathfinder Instruments for Cloud and Aerosol Spaceborne Observations (PICASSO) mission for global measurements of the aerosol vertical structure, and the PARASOL mission for aerosol characterization. Aqua-MODIS, PICASSO and PARASOL will fly in formation for detailed simultaneous characterization of the aerosol three-dimensional field, which

Instrument comparison for Aerosolized Titanium Dioxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ranpara, Anand

Recent toxicological studies have shown that the surface area of ultrafine particles (UFP i.e., particles with diameters less than 0.1 micrometer) has a stronger correlation with adverse health effects than does mass of these particles. Ultrafine titanium dioxide (TiO2) particles are widely used in industry, and their use is associated with adverse health outcomes, such as micro vascular dysfunctions and pulmonary damages. The primary aim of this experimental study was to compare a variety of laboratory and industrial hygiene (IH) field study instruments all measuring the same aerosolized TiO2. The study also observed intra-instrument variability between measurements made by two apparently identical devices of the same type of instrument placed side-by-side. The types of instruments studied were (1) DustTrak(TM) DRX, (2) Personal Data RAMs(TM) (PDR), (3) GRIMM, (4) Diffusion charger (DC) and (5) Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS). Two devices of each of the four IH field study instrument types were used to measure six levels of mass concentration of fine and ultrafine TiO2 aerosols in controlled chamber tests. Metrics evaluated included real-time mass, active surface area and number/geometric surface area distributions, and off-line gravimetric mass and morphology on filters. DustTrak(TM) DRXs and PDRs were used for mass concentration measurements. DCs were used for active surface area concentration measurements. GRIMMs were used for number concentration measurements. SMPS was used for inter-instrument comparisons of surface area and number concentrations. The results indicated that two apparently identical devices of each DRX and PDR were statistically not different with each other for all the trials of both the sizes of powder (p < 5%). Mean difference between mass concentrations measured by two DustTrak DRX devices was smaller than that measured by two PDR devices. DustTrak DRX measurements were closer to the reference method, gravimetric mass concentration

Pathfinder Instruments for Cloud and Aerosol Spaceborne Observations (PICASSO)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCormick, M. Patrick; Winker, David M.

1998-01-01

This paper will describe the planned 3-year Pathfinder Instruments for Cloud and Aerosol Spaceborne Observations (PICASSO) mission, its instrumentation and implementation. It will use LITE and other data, plus analyses, to show the feasibility of such a mission. PICASSO is being proposed for NASA's Earth System Science Pathfinder (ESSP) program with launch predicted in 2003.

Regional and transported aerosols during DRAGON-Japan experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sano, I.; Holben, B. N.; Mukai, S.; Nakata, M.; Nakaguchi, Y.; Sugimoto, N.; Hatakeyama, S.; Nishizawa, T.; Takamura, T.; Takemura, T.; Yonemitsu, M.; Fujito, T.; Schafer, J.; Eck, T. F.; Sorokin, M.; Kenny, P.; Goto, M.; Hiraki, T.; Iguchi, N.; Kouzai, K.; KUJI, M.; Muramatsu, K.; Okada, Y.; Sadanaga, Y.; Tohno, S.; Toyazaki, Y.; Yamamoto, K.

2013-12-01

Aerosol properties over Japan have been monitored by AERONET sun / sky photometers since 2000. These measurements provides us with long term information of local aerosols, which are influenced by transported aerosols, such as Asian dusts or anthropogenic pollutants due to rapid increasing of energy consumption in Asian countries. A new aerosol monitoring experiment, Distributed Regional Aerosol Gridded Observation Networks (DRAGON) - Japan is operated in spring of 2012. The main instrument of DRAGON network is AERONET sun/sky radiometers. Some of them are sparsely set along the Japanese coast and some others make a dense network in Osaka, which is the second-largest city in Japan and famous for manufacturing town. Several 2ch NIES-LIDAR systems are also co-located with AERONET instrument to monitor Asian dusts throughout the campaign. The objects of Dragon-Japan are to characterize local aerosols as well as transported ones from the continent of China, and to acquire the detailed aerosol information for validating satellite data with high resolved spatial scale. This work presents the comprehensive results of aerosol properties with respect to regional- and/or transported- scale during DRAGON-Japan experiments.

Aerosol Absorption Retrievals from the PACE Broad Spectrum Ocean Color Instrument (OCI)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mattoo, Shana; Remer, Lorraine A.; Levy, Robert C.; Gupta, Pawan; Ahmad, Ziauddin; Martins, J. Vanderlei; Lima, Adriana Rocha; Torres, Omar

2016-01-01

The PACE (Pre-­Aerosol, Clouds and ocean Ecosystem) mission, anticipated for launch in the early 2020s, is designed to characterize oceanic and atmospheric properties. The primary instrument on-­-board will be a moderate resolution (approximately 1 km nadir) radiometer, called the Ocean Color Instrument (OCI). OCI will provide high spectral resolution (5 nm) from the UV to NIR (350 - 800 nm), with additional spectral bands in the NIR and SWIR. The OCI itself is an excellent instrument for atmospheric objectives, providing measurements across a broad spectral range that in essence combines the capabilities of MODIS and OMI, but with the UV channels from OMI to be available at moderate resolution. (Image credit: PACE Science Definition Team Report). Objective: Can we make use of the UV-­SWIR measurements to derive information about aerosol absorption when aerosol loading is high?

A photophonic instrument concept to measure atmospheric aerosol absorption. M.S. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Engle, C. D.

1982-01-01

A laboratory model of an instrument to measure the absorption of atmospheric aerosols was designed, built, and tested. The design was based on the photophonic phenomenon discovered by Bell and an acoustic resonator developed by Helmholtz. Experiments were done to show ways the signal amplitude could be improved and the noise reduced and to confirm the instrument was sensitive enough to be practical. The research was undertaken to develop concepts which show promise of being improvements on the instruments that are presently used to measure the absorption of the Sun's radiation by the Earth's atmospheric aerosols.

CALIPSO Observations of Volcanic Aerosol in the Stratosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomason, Larry W.; Pitts, Michael C.

2008-01-01

In the stratosphere, the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) has observed the presence of aerosol plumes associated with the eruptions several volcanoes including Montserrat (May 2006), Chaiten (May 2008), and Kasatochi (August 2008). While the dense ash plumes from these eruptions dissipate relatively quickly, CALIPSO continued to detect an enhanced aerosol layer from the Montserrat eruption from the initial observations in June 2006 well into 2008. Solar occultation missions were uniquely capable of monitoring stratospheric aerosol. However, since the end of long-lived instruments like the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE II), there has been no clear space-based successor instrument. A number of active instruments, some employing new techniques, are being evaluated as candidate sources of stratospheric aerosol data. Herein, we examine suitability of the CALIPSO 532-nm aerosol backscatter coefficient measurements.

A continuous plutonium aerosol monitor for use in high radon environments.

PubMed

Li, HuiBin; Jia, MingYan; Li, GuoShen; Wang, YinDong

2012-01-01

Radon concentration is very high in underground basements and other facilities. Radon concentration in a nuclear facility locates in the granite tunnel can be as high as 10(4) Bq m(-3) in summer. Monitoring plutonium aerosol in this circumstance is seriously interfered by radon daughters. In order to solve this problem, a new continuous aerosol monitor that can monitor very low plutonium aerosol concentration in high radon background was developed. Several techniques were used to reduce interference of radon daughters, and the minimum detectable concentrations in various radon concentrations were measured.

Assessing the measurement of aerosol single scattering albedo by Cavity Attenuated Phase-Shift Single Scattering Monitor (CAPS PMssa)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perim de Faria, Julia; Bundke, Ulrich; Onasch, Timothy B.; Freedman, Andrew; Petzold, Andreas

2016-04-01

The necessity to quantify the direct impact of aerosol particles on climate forcing is already well known; assessing this impact requires continuous and systematic measurements of the aerosol optical properties. Two of the main parameters that need to be accurately measured are the aerosol optical depth and single scattering albedo (SSA, defined as the ratio of particulate scattering to extinction). The measurement of single scattering albedo commonly involves the measurement of two optical parameters, the scattering and the absorption coefficients. Although there are well established technologies to measure both of these parameters, the use of two separate instruments with different principles and uncertainties represents potential sources of significant errors and biases. Based on the recently developed cavity attenuated phase shift particle extinction monitor (CAPS PM_{ex) instrument, the CAPS PM_{ssa instrument combines the CAPS technology to measure particle extinction with an integrating sphere capable of simultaneously measuring the scattering coefficient of the same sample. The scattering channel is calibrated to the extinction channel, such that the accuracy of the single scattering albedo measurement is only a function of the accuracy of the extinction measurement and the nephelometer truncation losses. This gives the instrument an accurate and direct measurement of the single scattering albedo. In this study, we assess the measurements of both the extinction and scattering channels of the CAPS PM_{ssa through intercomparisons with Mie theory, as a fundamental comparison, and with proven technologies, such as integrating nephelometers and filter-based absorption monitors. For comparison, we use two nephelometers, a TSI 3563 and an Aurora 4000, and two measurements of the absorption coefficient, using a Particulate Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP) and a Multi Angle Absorption Photometer (MAAP). We also assess the indirect absorption coefficient

Characterization of aerosol particles from grass mowing by joint deployment of ToF-AMS and ATOFMS instruments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drewnick, Frank; Dall'Osto, Manuel; Harrison, Roy

During a measurement campaign at a semi-urban/industrial site a grass-cutting event was observed, when the lawn in the immediate surrounding of the measurement site was mowed. Using a wide variety of state-of-the-art aerosol measurement technology allowed a broad characterization of the aerosol generated by the lawn mowing. The instrumentation included two on-line aerosol mass spectrometers: an Aerodyne Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (ToF-AMS) and a TSI Aerosol Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (ATOFMS); in addition, a selection of on-line aerosol concentration and size distribution instruments (OPC, APS, SMPS, CPC, FDMS-TEOM, MAAP) was deployed. From comparison of background aerosol measurements during most of the day with the aerosol measured during the lawn mowing, the grass cutting was found to generate mainly two different types of aerosol particles: an intense ultrafine particle mode (1 h average: 4 μg m -3) of almost pure hydrocarbon-like organics and a distinct particle mode in the upper sub-micrometer size range containing particles with potassium and nitrogen-organic compounds. The ultrafine particles are probably lubricating oil particles from the lawn mower exhaust; the larger particles are swirled-up plant debris particles from the mowing process. While these particle types were identified in the data from the two mass spectrometers, the on-line aerosol concentration and size distribution data support these findings. The results presented here show that the combination of quantitative aerosol particle ensemble mass spectrometry (ToF-AMS) and single particle mass spectrometry (ATOFMS) provides much deeper insights into the nature of the aerosol properties than each of the instruments could do alone. Therefore a combined deployment of both types of instruments is strongly recommended.

Monitoring biological aerosols using UV fluorescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eversole, Jay D.; Roselle, Dominick; Seaver, Mark E.

1999-01-01

An apparatus has been designed and constructed to continuously monitor the number density, size, and fluorescent emission of ambient aerosol particles. The application of fluorescence to biological particles suspended in the atmosphere requires laser excitation in the UV spectral region. In this study, a Nd:YAG laser is quadrupled to provide a 266 nm wavelength to excite emission from single micrometer-sized particles in air. Fluorescent emission is used to continuously identify aerosol particles of biological origin. For calibration, biological samples of Bacillus subtilis spores and vegetative cells, Esherichia coli, Bacillus thuringiensis and Erwinia herbicola vegetative cells were prepared as suspensions in water and nebulized to produce aerosols. Detection of single aerosol particles, provides elastic scattering response as well as fluorescent emission in two spectral bands simultaneously. Our efforts have focuses on empirical characterization of the emission and scattering characteristics of various bacterial samples to determine the feasibility of optical discrimination between different cell types. Preliminary spectroscopic evidence suggest that different samples can be distinguished as separate bio-aerosol groups. In addition to controlled sample results, we will also discuss the most recent result on the effectiveness of detection outdoor releases and variations in environmental backgrounds.

Sampling Analysis of Aerosol Retrievals by Single-track Spaceborne Instrument for Climate Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geogdzhayev, I. V.; Cairns, B.; Alexandrov, M. D.; Mishchenko, M. I.

2012-12-01

We examine to what extent the reduced sampling of along-track instruments such as Cloud-Aerosol LIdar with Orthogonal Polarisation (CALIOP) and Aerosol Polarimetry Sensor (APS) affects the statistical accuracy of a satellite climatology of retrieved aerosol optical thickness (AOT) by sub-sampling the retrievals from a wide-swath imaging instrument (MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)). Owing to its global coverage, longevity, and extensive characterization versus ground based data, the MODIS level-2 aerosol product is an instructive testbed for assessing sampling effects on climatic means derived from along-track instrument data. The advantage of using daily pixel-level aerosol retrievals from MODIS is that limitations caused by the presence of clouds are implicit in the sample, so that their seasonal and regional variations are captured coherently. However, imager data can exhibit cross-track variability of monthly global mean AOTs caused by a scattering-angle dependence. We found that single along-track values can deviate from the imager mean by 15% over land and by more than 20% over ocean. This makes it difficult to separate natural variability from viewing-geometry artifacts complicating direct comparisons of an along-track sub-sample with the full imager data. To work around this problem, we introduce "flipped-track" sampling which, by design, is statistically equivalent to along-track sampling and while closely approximating the imager in terms of angular artifacts. We show that the flipped-track variability of global monthly mean AOT is much smaller than the cross-track one for the 7-year period considered. Over the ocean flipped-track standard error is 85% less than the cross-track one (absolute values 0.0012 versus 0.0079), and over land it is about one third of the cross-track value (0.0054 versus 0.0188) on average. This allows us to attribute the difference between the two errors to the viewing-geometry artifacts and obtain an upper

Monitoring diesel particulate matter and calculating diesel particulate densities using Grimm model 1.109 real-time aerosol monitors in underground mines.

PubMed

Kimbal, Kyle C; Pahler, Leon; Larson, Rodney; VanDerslice, Jim

2012-01-01

Currently, there is no Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)-approved sampling method that provides real-time results for ambient concentrations of diesel particulates. This study investigated whether a commercially available aerosol spectrometer, the Grimm Portable Aerosol Spectrometer Model 1.109, could be used during underground mine operations to provide accurate real-time diesel particulate data relative to MSHA-approved cassette-based sampling methods. A subset was to estimate size-specific diesel particle densities to potentially improve the diesel particulate concentration estimates using the aerosol monitor. Concurrent sampling was conducted during underground metal mine operations using six duplicate diesel particulate cassettes, according to the MSHA-approved method, and two identical Grimm Model 1.109 instruments. Linear regression was used to develop adjustment factors relating the Grimm results to the average of the cassette results. Statistical models using the Grimm data produced predicted diesel particulate concentrations that highly correlated with the time-weighted average cassette results (R(2) = 0.86, 0.88). Size-specific diesel particulate densities were not constant over the range of particle diameters observed. The variance of the calculated diesel particulate densities by particle diameter size supports the current understanding that diesel emissions are a mixture of particulate aerosols and a complex host of gases and vapors not limited to elemental and organic carbon. Finally, diesel particulate concentrations measured by the Grimm Model 1.109 can be adjusted to provide sufficiently accurate real-time air monitoring data for an underground mining environment.

An automated online instrument to quantify aerosol-bound reactive oxygen species (ROS) for ambient measurement and health-relevant aerosol studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wragg, Francis P. H.; Fuller, Stephen J.; Freshwater, Ray; Green, David C.; Kelly, Frank J.; Kalberer, Markus

2016-10-01

The adverse health effects associated with ambient aerosol particles have been well documented, but it is still unclear which aerosol properties are most important for their negative health impact. Some studies suggest the oxidative effects of particle-bound reactive oxygen species (ROS) are potential major contributors to the toxicity of particles. Traditional ROS measurement techniques are labour-intensive, give poor temporal resolution and generally have significant delays between aerosol sampling and ROS analysis. However, many oxidising particle components are reactive and thus potentially short-lived. Thus, a technique to quantify particle-bound ROS online would be beneficial to quantify also the short-lived ROS components. We introduce a new portable instrument to allow online, continuous measurement of particle-bound ROS using a chemical assay of 2'7'-dichlorofluorescein (DCFH) with horseradish peroxidase (HRP), via fluorescence spectroscopy. All components of the new instrument are attached to a containing shell, resulting in a compact system capable of automated continuous field deployment over many hours or days. From laboratory measurements, the instrument was found to have a detection limit of ˜ 4 nmol [H2O2] equivalents per cubic metre (m3) air, a dynamic range up to at least ˜ 2000 nmol [H2O2] equivalents per m3 air and a time resolution of ≤ 12 min. The instrument allows for ˜ 16 h automated measurement if unattended and shows a fast response to changes in concentrations of laboratory-generated oxidised organic aerosol. The instrument was deployed at an urban site in London, and particulate ROS levels of up to 24 nmol [H2O2] equivalents per m3 air were detected with PM2.5 concentrations up to 28 µg m-3. The new and portable Online Particle-bound ROS Instrument (OPROSI) allows fast-response quantification; this is important due to the potentially short-lived nature of particle-bound ROS as well as fast-changing atmospheric conditions

Optical properties of aerosol contaminated cloud derived from MODIS instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mei, Linlu; Rozanov, Vladimir; Lelli, Luca; Vountas, Marco; Burrows, John P.

2016-04-01

The presence of absorbing aerosols above/within cloud can reduce the amount of up-welling radiation in visible (VIS) and short-wave infrared and darken the spectral reflectance when compared with a spectrum of a clean cloud observed by satellite instruments (Jethva et al., 2013). Cloud properties retrieval for aerosol contaminated cases is a great challenge. Even small additional injection of aerosol particles into clouds in the cleanest regions of Earth's atmosphere will cause significant effect on those clouds and on climate forcing (Koren et al., 2014; Rosenfeld et al., 2014) because the micro-physical cloud process are non-linear with respect to the aerosol loading. The current cloud products like Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) ignoring the aerosol effect for the retrieval, which may cause significant error in the satellite-derived cloud properties. In this paper, a new cloud properties retrieval method, considering aerosol effect, based on the weighting-function (WF) method, is presented. The retrieval results shows that the WF retrieved cloud properties (e.g COT) agrees quite well with MODIS COT product for relative clear atmosphere (AOT ≤ 0.4) while there is a large difference for large aerosol loading. The MODIS COT product is underestimated for at least 2 - 3 times for AOT>0.4, and this underestimation increases with the increase of AOT.

Aerosol collection of the (Bladewerx Corporation) breathing zone monitor and portable workplace monitor.

PubMed

Moore, Murray E; Kennedy, Trevor J; Dimmerling, Paul J

2007-11-01

The Radiation Protection Group at the Los Alamos National Laboratory has a wind tunnel capable of measuring the aerosol collection efficiencies of air sampling devices. In the fall of 2005, the group received an internal Los Alamos request to perform aerosol collection efficiency tests on two air samplers manufactured by the Bladewerx Corporation (Rio Rancho, NM). This paper presents the results from tests performed in the wind tunnel facility at a test velocity of 0.5 m s. The SabreAlert (Portable Workplace Monitor) and the SabreBZM (Breathing Zone Monitor) are both designed to detect and measure the presence of alpha emitting isotopes in atmospheres. The SabreAlert was operated at two test air flow rates of 6 and 45 liters per minute (LPM), and the SabreBZM was operated at two test air flow rates of 3 and 19 LPM. The aerosol collection efficiencies of both samplers were evaluated with oleic acid (monodisperse) liquid droplet aerosols tagged with sodium fluorescein tracer. These test aerosols varied in size from about 2.3 to 17.2 microns (aerodynamic equivalent diameter). The SabreAlert was roughly 100% efficient in aerosol collection at a flow rate of 6 LPM, and had an aerodynamic cutpoint diameter of 11.3 microns at the 45 LPM flow rate. The SabreBZM had an aerodynamic cutpoint diameter of 6.7 microns at the 3 LPM flow rate, but the SabreBZM aerosol collection efficiency never exceeded 13.6% at the 19 LPM test flow rate condition.

Comparisons of Spectral Aerosol Single Scattering Albedo in Seoul, South Korea

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mok, Jungbin; Krotkov, Nickolay A.; Torres, Omar; Jethva, Hiren; Loughman, Robert P.; Spinei, Elena; Campanelli, Monica; Li, Zhanqing; Go, Sujung; Labow, Gordon;

Spacecraft instrument calibration and stability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gille, J. C.; Feldman, P.; Hudson, R.; Lean, J.; Madden, R.; Mcmaster, L.; Mount, G.; Rottman, G.; Simon, P. C.

1989-01-01

The following topics are covered: instrument degradation; the Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SBUV) Experiment; the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS); the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment 1 (SAGE-1) and SAGE-2 instruments; the Solar Mesosphere Explorer (SME) UV ozone and near infrared airglow instruments; and the Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere (LIMS).

Air Quality Monitoring and Forecasting Applications of Suomi NPP VIIRS Aerosol Products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kondragunta, Shobha

The Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument was launched on October 28, 2011. It provides Aerosol Optical Thickness (AOT) at two different spatial resolutions: a pixel level (~750 m at nadir) product called the Intermediate Product (IP) and an aggregated (~6 km at nadir) product called the Environmental Data Record (EDR), and a Suspended Matter (SM) EDR that provides aerosol type (dust, smoke, sea salt, and volcanic ash) information. An extensive validation of VIIRS best quality aerosol products with ground based L1.5 Aerosol Robotic NETwork (AERONET) data shows that the AOT EDR product has an accuracy/precision of -0.01/0.11 and 0.01/0.08 over land and ocean respectively. Globally, VIIRS mean AOT EDR (0.20) is similar to Aqua MODIS (0.16) with some important regional and seasonal differences. The accuracy of the SM product, however, is found to be very low (20 percent) when compared to Cloud Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) and AERONET. Several algorithm updates which include a better approach to retrieve surface reflectance have been developed for AOT retrieval. For dust aerosol type retrieval, a new approach that takes advantage of spectral dependence of Rayleigh scattering, surface reflectance, dust absorption in the deep blue (412 nm), blue (440 nm), and mid-IR (2.2 um) has been developed that detects dust with an accuracy of ~80 percent. For smoke plume identification, a source apportionment algorithm that combines fire hot spots with AOT imagery has been developed that provides smoke plume extent with an accuracy of ~70 percent. The VIIRS aerosol products will provide continuity to the current operational use of aerosol products from Aqua and Terra MODIS. These include aerosol data assimilation in Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) global aerosol model, verification of National Weather Service (NWS) dust and smoke forecasts, exceptional events monitoring by different states

An inexpensive active optical remote sensing instrument for assessing aerosol distributions.

PubMed

Barnes, John E; Sharma, Nimmi C P

2012-02-01

Air quality studies on a broad variety of topics from health impacts to source/sink analyses, require information on the distributions of atmospheric aerosols over both altitude and time. An inexpensive, simple to implement, ground-based optical remote sensing technique has been developed to assess aerosol distributions. The technique, called CLidar (Charge Coupled Device Camera Light Detection and Ranging), provides aerosol altitude profiles over time. In the CLidar technique a relatively low-power laser transmits light vertically into the atmosphere. The transmitted laser light scatters off of air molecules, clouds, and aerosols. The entire beam from ground to zenith is imaged using a CCD camera and wide-angle (100 degree) optics which are a few hundred meters from the laser. The CLidar technique is optimized for low altitude (boundary layer and lower troposphere) measurements where most aerosols are found and where many other profiling techniques face difficulties. Currently the technique is limited to nighttime measurements. Using the CLidar technique aerosols may be mapped over both altitude and time. The instrumentation required is portable and can easily be moved to locations of interest (e.g. downwind from factories or power plants, near highways). This paper describes the CLidar technique, implementation and data analysis and offers specifics for users wishing to apply the technique for aerosol profiles.

Aethalometer™ Instrument Handbook

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sedlacek, Arthur J.

2016-04-01

The Aethalometer is an instrument that provides a real-time readout of the concentration of “Black” or “Elemental” carbon aerosol particles (BC or E) in an air stream (see Figure 1 and Figure 2). It is a self-contained instrument that measures the rate of change of optical transmission through a spot on a filter where aerosol is being continuously collected and uses the information to calculate the concentration of optically absorbing material in the sampled air stream. The instrument measures the transmitted light intensities through the “sensing” portion of the filter, on which the aerosol spot is being collected, and amore » “reference” portion of the filter as a check on the stability of the optical source. A mass flowmeter monitors the sample air flow rate. The data from these three measurements is used to determine the mean BC content of the air stream.« less

Science Objectives of EOS-Aura's Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levelt, P. F.; Veefkind, J. P.; Stammes, P.; Hilsenrath, E.; Bhartia, P. K.; Chance, K. V.; Leppelmeier, G. W.; Maelkki, A.; Bhartia, Pawan (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

OMI is a UV/VIS nadir solar backscatter spectrograph, which provides near global coverage in one day with a spatial resolution of 13 x 24 sq km. OMI is a new instrument, with a heritage from the European satellite instruments GOME, GOMOS and SCIAMACHY. OMI's unique capabilities for measuring important trace gases with a small footprint and daily global coverage, in conjunction with the other Aura instruments, will make a major contribution to our understanding of stratospheric and tropospheric chemistry and climate change. OMI will measure solar irradiance and Earth radiances in the wavelength range of 270 to 500 nm with spectral resolution of about 0.5 nm and a spectral sampling of about 2-3 per FWHM. From these observations, total columns of O3, NO2, BrO and SO2 will be derived from the back-scattered solar radiance using differential absorption spectroscopy (DOAS). The TOMS total ozone record will also be continued by employing the well established TOMS algorithm. Because of the high accuracy and spatial resolution of the measurements, a good estimate of tropospheric amounts of ozone and NO2 are expected. Ozone profiles will be derived using the optimal estimation method. The spectral aerosol optical depth will be determined from measurements between 340 and 500 nm. This will provide information on aerosol concentration, aerosol size distribution and aerosol type. This wavelength range makes it possible to retrieve aerosol information over both land and sea. OMI observations will also allow retrievals of cloud coverage and cloud heights. From these products, the UV-B flux at the surface can then be derived with high spatial resolution.

Probing and monitoring aerosol and atmospheric clouds with an electro-optic oscillator.

PubMed

Arnon, S; Kopeika, N S

1996-09-20

Monitoring, probing, and sensing characteristics of aerosol clouds is difficult and complicated. Probing the characteristics of aerosols is most useful in the chemical and microelectronic industry for processing control of aerosols and emulsion, decreasing bit error rate in adaptive optical communication systems, and in acquiring data for atmospheric science and environment quality. We present a new mathematical and optical engineering model for monitoring characteristics of aerosol clouds. The model includes the temporal transfer function of aerosol clouds as a variable parameter in an electro-optic oscillator. The frequency of the oscillator changes according to changes in the characteristics of the clouds (density, size distribution, physical thickness, the medium and the particulate refractive indices, and spatial distribution). It is possible to measure only one free characteristic at a given time. An example of a practical system for monitoring the density of aerosol clouds is given. The frequency of the oscillator changes from 1.25 to 0.43 MHz for changes in aerosol density from 2000 to 3000 particulates cm(-3). The advantages of this new method compared with the transmissometer methods are (a) no necessity for line-of-sight measurement geometry, (b) accurate measurement of high optical thickness media is possible, (c) under certain conditions measurements can include characteristics of aerosol clouds related to light scatter that cannot be or are difficult to measure with a transmissometer, and (d) the cloud bandwidth for free space optical communication is directly measurable.

Life support subsystem monitoring instrumentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powell, J. D.; Kostell, G. D.

1974-01-01

The recognition of the need for instrumentation in manned spacecraft life-support subsystems has increased significantly over the past several years. Of the required control and monitoring instrumentation, this paper will focus on the monitoring instrumentation as applied to life-support subsystems. The initial approach used independent sensors, independent sensor signal conditioning circuitry, and independent logic circuitry to provide shutdown protection only. This monitoring system was replaced with a coordinated series of printed circuit cards, each of which contains all the electronics to service one sensor and provide performance trend information, fault detection and isolation information, and shutdown protection. Finally, a review of sensor and instrumentation problems is presented, and the requirement for sensors with built-in signal conditioning and provisions for in situ calibration is discussed.

Measurements of Organic Composition of Aerosol and Rainwater Samples Using Offline Aerosol Mass Spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

OBrien, R. E.; Ridley, K. J.; Canagaratna, M. R.; Croteau, P.; Budisulistiorini, S. H.; Cui, T.; Green, H. S.; Surratt, J. D.; Jayne, J. T.; Kroll, J. H.

2016-12-01

A thorough understanding of the sources, evolution, and budgets of atmospheric organic aerosol requires widespread measurements of the amount and chemical composition of atmospheric organic carbon in the condensed phase (within particles and water droplets). Collecting such datasets requires substantial spatial and temporal (long term) coverage, which can be challenging when relying on online measurements by state-of-the-art research-grade instrumentation (such as those used in atmospheric chemistry field studies). Instead, samples are routinely collected using relatively low-cost techniques, such as aerosol filters, for offline analysis of their chemical composition. However, measurements made by online and offline instruments can be fundamentally different, leading to disparities between data from field studies and those from more routine monitoring. To better connect these two approaches, and take advantage of the benefits of each, we have developed a method to introduce collected samples into online aerosol instruments using nebulization. Because nebulizers typically require tens to hundreds of milliliters of solution, limiting this technique to large samples, we developed a new, ultrasonic micro-nebulizer that requires only small volumes (tens of microliters) of sample for chemical analysis. The nebulized (resuspended) sample is then sent into a high-resolution Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS), a widely-used instrument that provides key information on the chemical composition of aerosol particulate matter (elemental ratios, carbon oxidation state, etc.), measurements that are not typically made for collected atmospheric samples. Here, we compare AMS data collected using standard on-line techniques with our offline analysis, demonstrating the utility of this new technique to aerosol filter samples. We then apply this approach to organic aerosol filter samples collected in remote regions, as well as rainwater samples from across the US. This data provides

Cloud and Aerosol 1064nm Lidar Ratio Retrievals from the CATS Instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pauly, R.; Yorks, J. E.; McGill, M. J.; Hlavka, D. L.; Midzak, N.

2017-12-01

The extinction to backscatter ratio or lidar ratio is an essential value in order to derive the optical properties of cloud and aerosol layers from standard elastic backscatter lidar data. For these instruments, the lidar ratio can sometimes be determined from lidar data utilizing the transmission loss or "constrained" technique. The best situations for deploying this technique involve clearly defined layers with clear sky underneath for 1-3 km. In situations where the lidar ratio cannot be calculated, look-up tables exist for various cloud and aerosol types. There is a vast data record of derived lidar ratios for various cloud and aerosol types using 532nm from an array of instruments (i.e. HSRL, CALIOP, CPL, Aeronet, MPLNET). To date, because the 1064nm molecular signal is so small, lidar ratios at 1064nm have been mostly determined from 532nm lidar ratios using angstrom exponents, color ratios and ground based non-lidar measurements, as HSRL measurements at that wavelength do not exist. Due to the better signal quality at 1064nm compared to the 532nm signal, the CATS laser was thermally tuned to increase the 1064nm output energy. Therefore, the 1064nm channel is used in nearly all CATS layer data processing, making the accurate determination of 1064nm lidar ratio imperative. The CATS 1064nm signal allows for the unique capability to determine 1064nm lidar ratios better than previous instruments. The statistical and case study results of the CATS derived smoke and dust lidar ratios will be presented. Results have shown that the previously assumed 1064nm lidar ratios for dust need to be lowered. In addition to 1064nm lidar ratio results from the traditional transmission loss technique, results for aerosol layers above opaque water clouds from a method utilizing the depolarization ratio of the opaque cloud will be discussed. Incorporating this method into the CATS algorithms should increase the number of aerosol layers with constrained lidar ratio.

Aerosol generation and measurement of multi-wall carbon nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myojo, Toshihiko; Oyabu, Takako; Nishi, Kenichiro; Kadoya, Chikara; Tanaka, Isamu; Ono-Ogasawara, Mariko; Sakae, Hirokazu; Shirai, Tadashi

2009-01-01

Mass production of some kinds of carbon nanotubes (CNT) is now imminent, but little is known about the risk associated with their exposure. It is important to assess the propensity of the CNT to release particles into air for its risk assessment. In this study, we conducted aerosolization of a multi-walled CNT (MWCNT) to assess several aerosol measuring instruments. A Palas RBG-1000 aerosol generator applied mechanical stress to the MWCNT by a rotating brush at feed rates ranging from 2 to 20 mm/h, which the MWCNT was fed to a two-component fluidized bed. The fluidized bed aerosol generator was used to disperse the MWCNT aerosol once more. We monitored the generated MWCNT aerosol concentrations based on number, area, and mass using a condensation particle counter and nanoparticle surface area monitor. Also we quantified carbon mass in MWCNT aerosol samples by a carbon monitor. The shape of aerosolized MWCNT fibers was observed by a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The MWCNT was well dispersed by our system. We found isolated MWCNT fibers in the aerosols by SEM and the count median lengths of MWCNT fibers were 4-6 μm. The MWCNT was quantified by the carbon monitor with a modified condition based on the NIOSH analytical manual. The MWCNT aerosol concentration (EC mass base) was 4 mg/m3 at 2 mm/h in this study.

The new Mediterranean background monitoring station of Ersa, Cape Corsica: A long term Observatory component of the Chemistry-Aerosol Mediterranean Experiment (ChArMEx)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dulac, Francois

2013-04-01

The Chemistry-Aerosol Mediterranean Experiment (ChArMEx, http://charmex.lsce.ipsl.fr/) is a French initiative supported by the MISTRALS program (Mediterranean Integrated Studies at Regional And Locals Scales, http://www.mistrals-home.org). It aims at a scientific assessment of the present and future state of the atmospheric environment in the Mediterranean Basin, and of its impacts on the regional climate, air quality, and marine biogeochemistry. The major stake is an understanding of the future of the Mediterranean region in a context of strong regional anthropogenic and climatic pressures. The target of ChArMEx is short-lived particulate and gaseous tropospheric trace species which are the cause of poor air quality events, have two-way interactions with climate, or impact the marine biogeochemistry. In order to fulfill these objectives, important efforts have been put in 2012 in order to implement the infrastructure and instrumentation for a fully equipped background monitoring station at Ersa, Cape Corsica, a key location at the crossroads of dusty southerly air masses and polluted outflows from the European continent. The observations at this station began in June 2012 (in the context of the EMEP / ACTRIS / PEGASOS / ChArMEx campaigns). A broad spectrum of aerosol properties is also measured at the station, from the chemical composition (off-line daily filter sampling in PM2.5/PM10, on-line Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor), ground optical properties (extinction/absorption/light scattering coeff. with 1-? CAPS PMex monitor, 7-? Aethalometer, 3-? Nephelometer), integrated and vertically resolved optical properties (4-? Cimel sunphotometer and LIDAR, respective), size distribution properties (N-AIS, SMPS, APS, and OPS instruments), mass (PM1/PM10 by TEOM/TEOM-FDMS), hygroscopicity (CCN), as well as total insoluble deposition. So far, real-time measurement of reactive gases (O3, CO, NO, NO2), and off-line VOC measurements (cylinders, cartridges) are also

Overview of Aerosol Distribution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufman, Yoram

2005-01-01

Our knowledge of atmospheric aerosols (smoke, pollution, dust or sea salt particles, small enough to be suspended in the air), their evolution, composition, variability in space and time and interaction with clouds and precipitation is still lacking despite decades of research. Understanding the global aerosol system is fundamental for progress in climate change and hydrological cycle research. While a single instrument was used to demonstrate 50 years ago that the global CO2 levels are rising, posing threat of global warming, we need an array of satellites and field measurements coupled with chemical transport models to understand the global aerosol system. This complexity of the aerosol problem results from their short lifetime (1 week) and variable chemical composition. A new generation of satellites provides exciting opportunities to measure the global distribution of aerosols, distinguishing natural from anthropogenic aerosol and measuring their interaction with clouds and climate. I shall discuss these topics and application of the data to air quality monitoring.

Towards Consistent Aerosol and Cloud Climate Data Records from the Along Track Scanning Radiometer instruments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, G.

2015-12-01

The ESA Climate Change Initiative (CCI) programme has provided a mechanism for the production of new long-term data records of essential climate variables (ECVs) defined by WMO Global Climate Observing System (GCOS). These include consistent cloud (from the MODIS, AVHRR, ATSR-2 and AATSR instruments) and aerosol (from ATSR-2 and AATSR) products produced using the Optimal Retrieval of Aerosol and Cloud (ORAC) scheme. This talk will present an overview of the newly produced ORAC cloud and aerosol datasets, their evaluation and a joint aerosol-cloud product produced for the 1995-2012 ATSR-2-AATSR data record.

Evaluation of an aerosol photometer for monitoring welding fume levels in a shipyard.

PubMed

Glinsmann, P W; Rosenthal, F S

1985-07-01

A direct reading aerosol photometer (Sibata P-5 Digital Dust Indicator) was used to assess fume levels from welding and burning operations in a shipyard. The photometer was calibrated with gravimetric analysis of filter samples collected simultaneously with instrument readings. A six-fold difference between calibration factors for personal and area samples was found. This difference can be explained by expected changes in particle size distributions in welding fume. Monitoring of various work situations was performed in order to assess the value of the photometer for the measurement of fume. Measurements categorized by enclosure of space and quality of ventilation indicated the presence of high fume levels in semi-enclosed and enclosed spaces. The build up of welding fume in an enclosed space occurred over several minutes after the arc was struck. Decay likewise required several minutes. During welding, wide fluctuations of fume concentrations were found. Thus a single reading was not adequate to characterize average fume levels. Although this type of instrument is useful for locating areas with high fume levels and monitoring the effectiveness of ventilation, the uncertainty in calibration factors makes accurate determinations of fume levels difficult.

EOS-Aura's Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI): Validation Requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brinksma, E. J.; McPeters, R.; deHaan, J. F.; Levelt, P. F.; Hilsenrath, E.; Bhartia, P. K.

2003-01-01

OMI is an advanced hyperspectral instrument that measures backscattered radiation in the UV and visible. It will be flown as part of the EOS Aura mission and provide data on atmospheric chemistry that is highly synergistic with other Aura instruments HIRDLS, MLS, and TES. OMI is designed to measure total ozone, aerosols, cloud information, and UV irradiances, continuing the TOMS series of global mapped products but with higher spatial resolution. In addition its hyperspectral capability enables measurements of trace gases such as SO2, NO2, HCHO, BrO, and OClO. A plan for validation of the various OM1 products is now being formulated. Validation of the total column and UVB products will rely heavily on existing networks of instruments, like NDSC. NASA and its European partners are planning aircraft missions for the validation of Aura instruments. New instruments and techniques (DOAS systems for example) will need to be developed, both ground and aircraft based. Lidar systems are needed for validation of the vertical distributions of ozone, aerosols, NO2 and possibly SO2. The validation emphasis will be on the retrieval of these products under polluted conditions. This is challenging because they often depend on the tropospheric profiles of the product in question, and because of large spatial variations in the troposphere. Most existing ground stations are located in, and equipped for, pristine environments. This is also true for almost all NDSC stations. OMI validation will need ground based sites in polluted environments and specially developed instruments, complementing the existing instrumentation.

Characterization of the Aerosol Instrument Package for the In-service Aircraft Global Observing System IAGOS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bundke, Ulrich; Berg, Marcel; Tettig, Frank; Franke, Harald; Petzold, Andreas

2015-04-01

The atmospheric aerosol influences the climate twofold via the direct interaction with solar radiation and indirectly effecting microphysical properties of clouds. The latter has the largest uncertainty according to the last IPPC Report. A measured in situ climatology of the aerosol microphysical properties is needed to reduce the reported uncertainty of the aerosol climate impact. The European Research Infrastructure IAGOS (In-service Aircraft for a Global Observing System; www.iagos.org) responds to the increasing requests for long-term, routine in situ observational data by using commercial passenger aircraft as measurement platform. However, scientific instrumentation for the measurement of atmospheric constituents requires major modifications before being deployable aboard in-service passenger aircraft. The IAGOS Aerosol Package (IAGOS-P2C) consists of two modified Butanol based CPCs (Model Grimm 5.410) and one optical particle counter (Model Grimm Sky OPC 1.129). A thermodenuder at 250°C is placed upstream the second CPC, thus the number concentrations of the total aerosol and the non-volatile aerosol fraction is measured. The Sky OPC measures the size distribution in the rage theoretically up to 32 μ m. Because of the inlet cut off diameter of D50=3 μ m we are using the 16 channel mode in the range of 250 nm - 2.5 μ m at 1 Hz resolution. In this presentation the IAGOS Aerosol package is characterized for pressure levels relevant for the planned application, down to cruising level of 150 hPa including the inlet system. In our aerosol lab we have tested the system against standard instrumentation with different aerosol test substances in a long duration test. Particle losses are characterized for the inlet system. In addition first results for airborne measurements are shown from a first field campaign.

Trace Gas Retrievals from the GeoTASO Aircraft Instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nowlan, C. R.; Liu, X.; Leitch, J. W.; Liu, C.; Gonzalez Abad, G.; Chance, K.; Cole, J.; Delker, T.; Good, W. S.; Murcray, F.; Ruppert, L.; Soo, D.; Loughner, C.; Follette-Cook, M. B.; Janz, S. J.; Kowalewski, M. G.; Pickering, K. E.; Zoogman, P.; Al-Saadi, J. A.

2015-12-01

The Geostationary Trace gas and Aerosol Sensor Optimization (GeoTASO) instrument is a passive remote sensing instrument capable of making 2-D measurements of trace gases and aerosols from aircraft. The instrument measures backscattered UV and visible radiation, allowing the retrieval of trace gas amounts below the aircraft at horizontal resolutions on the order of 250 m x 250 m. GeoTASO was originally developed under NASA's Instrument Incubator Program as a test-bed instrument for the Geostationary Coastal and Air Pollution Events (GEO-CAPE) decadal survey mission, and is now also part of risk reduction for the upcoming Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) and Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS) geostationary satellite missions. We present spatially resolved observations of ozone, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde and sulfur dioxide over urban areas and power plants from flights during the DISCOVER-AQ field campaigns in Texas and Colorado, as well as comparisons with observations made by ground-based Pandora spectrometers, in situ monitoring instruments and other aircraft instruments deployed during these campaigns. These measurements at various times of day are providing a very useful data set for testing and improving TEMPO and GEMS retrieval algorithms, as well as demonstrating prototype validation strategies.

Multispectral information for gas and aerosol retrieval from TANSO-FTS instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herbin, H.; Labonnote, L. C.; Dubuisson, P.

2012-11-01

The Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT) mission and in particular TANSO-FTS instrument has the advantage to measure simultaneously the same field of view in different spectral ranges with a high spectral resolution. These features are promising to improve, not only, gaseous retrieval in clear sky or scattering atmosphere, but also to retrieve aerosol parameters. Therefore, this paper is dedicated to an Information Content (IC) analysis of potential synergy between thermal infrared, shortwave infrared and visible, in order to obtain a more accurate retrieval of gas and aerosol. The latter is based on Shannon theory and used a sophisticated radiative transfer algorithm developed at "Laboratoire d'Optique Atmosphérique", dealing with multiple scattering. This forward model can be relied to an optimal estimation method, which allows simultaneously retrieving gases profiles and aerosol granulometry and concentration. The analysis of the information provided by the spectral synergy is based on climatology of dust, volcanic ash and biomass burning aerosols. This work was conducted in order to develop a powerful tool that allows retrieving simultaneously not only the gas concentrations but also the aerosol characteristics by selecting the so called "best channels", i.e. the channels that bring most of the information concerning gas and aerosol. The methodology developed in this paper could also be used to define the specifications of future high spectral resolution mission to reach a given accuracy on retrieved parameters.

Global Observations of Aerosols and Clouds from Combined Lidar and Passive Instruments to Improve Radiation Budget and Climate Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winker, David M.

1999-01-01

Current uncertainties in the effects of clouds and aerosols on the Earth radiation budget limit our understanding of the climate system and the potential for global climate change. Pathfinder Instruments for Cloud and Aerosol Spaceborne Observations - Climatologie Etendue des Nuages et des Aerosols (PICASSO-CENA) is a recently approved satellite mission within NASA's Earth System Science Pathfinder (ESSP) program which will address these uncertainties with a unique suite of active and passive instruments. The Lidar In-space Technology Experiment (LITE) demonstrated the potential benefits of space lidar for studies of clouds and aerosols. PICASSO-CENA builds on this experience with a payload consisting of a two-wavelength polarization-sensitive lidar, an oxygen A-band spectrometer (ABS), an imaging infrared radiometer (IIR), and a wide field camera (WFC). Data from these instruments will be used to measure the vertical distributions of aerosols and clouds in the atmosphere, as well as optical and physical properties of aerosols and clouds which influence the Earth radiation budget. PICASSO-CENA will be flown in formation with the PM satellite of the NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) to provide a comprehensive suite of coincident measurements of atmospheric state, aerosol and cloud optical properties, and radiative fluxes. The mission will address critical uncertainties iin the direct radiative forcing of aerosols and clouds as well as aerosol influences on cloud radiative properties and cloud-climate radiation feedbacks. PICASSO-CENA is planned for a three year mission, with a launch in early 2003. PICASSO-CENA is being developed within the framework of a collaboration between NASA and CNES.

WindCam and MSPI: two cloud and aerosol instrument concepts derived from Terra/MISR heritage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diner, David J.; Mischna, Michael; Chipman, Russell A.; Davis, Ab; Cairns, Brian; Davies, Roger; Kahn, Ralph A.; Muller, Jan-Peter; Torres, Omar

2008-08-01

The Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) has been acquiring global cloud and aerosol data from polar orbit since February 2000. MISR acquires moderately high-resolution imagery at nine view angles from nadir to 70.5°, in four visible/near-infrared spectral bands. Stereoscopic parallax, time lapse among the nine views, and the variation of radiance with angle and wavelength enable retrieval of geometric cloud and aerosol plume heights, height-resolved cloud-tracked winds, and aerosol optical depth and particle property information. Two instrument concepts based upon MISR heritage are in development. The Cloud Motion Vector Camera, or WindCam, is a simplified version comprised of a lightweight, compact, wide-angle camera to acquire multiangle stereo imagery at a single visible wavelength. A constellation of three WindCam instruments in polar Earth orbit would obtain height-resolved cloud-motion winds with daily global coverage, making it a low-cost complement to a spaceborne lidar wind measurement system. The Multiangle SpectroPolarimetric Imager (MSPI) is aimed at aerosol and cloud microphysical properties, and is a candidate for the National Research Council Decadal Survey's Aerosol-Cloud-Ecosystem (ACE) mission. MSPI combines the capabilities of MISR with those of other aerosol sensors, extending the spectral coverage to the ultraviolet and shortwave infrared and incorporating high-accuracy polarimetric imaging. Based on requirements for the nonimaging Aerosol Polarimeter Sensor on NASA's Glory mission, a degree of linear polarization uncertainty of 0.5% is specified within a subset of the MSPI bands. We are developing a polarization imaging approach using photoelastic modulators (PEMs) to accomplish this objective.

Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE 3)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccormick, M. P.

1993-01-01

The proposed SAGE III instrument would be the principal source of data for global changes of stratospheric aerosols, stratospheric water vapor, and ozone profiles, and a contributing source of data for upper tropospheric water vapor, aerosols, and clouds. The ability to obtain such data has been demonstrated by the predecessor instrument, SAGE II, but SAGE III will be substantially more capable, as discussed below. The capabilities for monitoring the profiles of atmospheric constituents have been verified in detail, including ground-based validations, for aerosol, ozone, and water vapor. Indeed, because of its self-calibrating characteristics, SAGE II was an essential component of the international ozone trend assessments, and SAGE II is now proving to be invaluable in tracking the aerosols from Mt. Pinatubo. Although SAGE profiles generally terminate at the height of the first tropospheric cloud layer, it has been found that the measurements extend down to 3 km altitude more than 40 percent of the time at most latitudes. Thus, useful information can also be obtained on upper tropospheric aerosols, water vapor, and ozone.

Preliminary results of aerosols' properties studied with EPF measurements from the SPICAM/UV instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willame, Yannick; Carine Vandaele, Ann; Depiesse, Cedric; Gillotay, Didier; Kochenova, Svetlana; Montmessin, Franck

2013-04-01

Aerosols on Mars have an important impact on the radiative transfer properties of its atmosphere. Today their spectral properties and therefore their interaction with UV radiation are only poorly known. Improving the radiative transfer modeling requires a better knowledge of their characteristics, in particular of their opacity, phase function and single scattering albedo. Part of such information can be accessed by using EPF observations. The SPICAM instrument on board of the Mars-Express satellite is a 2 channel spectrometer. One channel operates in the ultraviolet (118-320 nm) and the second one in the infrared (1.0-1.7μm). SPICAM has been orbiting around the red planet since 2003 and has thus provided a large set of data. The instrument is capable of measuring under different geometries (nadir, limb, occultation) and one of them, called EPF (Emission Phase Function), can be a tool to study aerosols' properties. We have developed a new retrieval algorithm for nadir measurements based on the radiative transfer model LIDORT. This new code performs simulations of spectra taking into account gas absorption, surface reflection and scattering by aerosols and gases. The retrieval method, based on the optimal estimation, allows us up to now to deduce the ozone column density, the aerosols' optical depth and the surface albedo (with fixed wavelength dependencies). We are developing our model further in order to better study the aerosols' characteristics using EPF observations, which consist in looking at the same point on the planet while the satellite moves along the orbit. As the attempt to study all the aerosols' properties simultaneously was not convincing, we started studying their opacity and the influence of its altitude distribution with the other characteristics fixed. We will present preliminary results of our study on aerosols' properties using EPF data from SPICAM.

Expected trace gas and aerosol retrieval accuracy of the Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, U.; Kim, J.; Liu, X.; Lee, K. H.; Chance, K.; Song, C. H.

2015-12-01

The predicted accuracy of the trace gases and aerosol retrievals from the geostationary environment monitoring spectrometer (GEMS) was investigated. The GEMS is one of the first sensors to monitor NO2, SO2, HCHO, O3, and aerosols onboard geostationary earth orbit (GEO) over Asia. Since the GEMS is not launched yet, the simulated measurements and its precision were used in this study. The random and systematic component of the measurement error was estimated based on the instrument design. The atmospheric profiles were obtained from Model for Ozone And Related chemical Tracers (MOZART) simulations and surface reflectances were obtained from climatology of OMI Lambertian equivalent reflectance. The uncertainties of the GEMS trace gas and aerosol products were estimated based on the OE method using the atmospheric profile and surface reflectance. Most of the estimated uncertainties of NO2, HCHO, stratospheric and total O3 products satisfied the user's requirements with sufficient margin. However, about 26% of the estimated uncertainties of SO2 and about 30% of the estimated uncertainties of tropospheric O3 do not meet the required precision. Particularly the estimated uncertainty of SO2 is high in winter, when the emission is strong in East Asia. Further efforts are necessary in order to improve the retrieval accuracy of SO2 and tropospheric O3 in order to reach the scientific goal of GEMS. Random measurement error of GEMS was important for the NO2, SO2, and HCHO retrieval, while both the random and systematic measurement errors were important for the O3 retrievals. The degree of freedom for signal of tropospheric O3 was 0.8 ± 0.2 and that for stratospheric O3 was 2.9 ± 0.5. The estimated uncertainties of the aerosol retrieval from GEMS measurements were predicted to be lower than the required precision for the SZA range of the trace gas retrievals.

In-Situ Measurements of Aerosol Optical Properties using New Cavity Ring-Down and Photoacoustics Instruments and Comparison with more Traditional Techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strawa, A. W.; Arnott, P.; Covert, D.; Elleman, R.; Ferrare, R.; Hallar, A. G.; Jonsson, H.; Kirchstetter, T. W.; Luu, A. P.; Ogren, J.

2004-01-01

Carbonaceous species (BC and OC) are responsible for most of the absorption associated with aerosol particles. The amount of radiant energy an aerosol absorbs has profound effects on climate and air quality. It is ironic that aerosol absorption coefficient is one of the most difficult aerosol properties to measure. A new cavity ring-down (CRD) instrument, called Cadenza (NASA-ARC), measures the aerosol extinction coefficient for 675 nm and 1550 nm light, and simultaneously measures the scattering coefficient at 675 nm. Absorption coefficient is obtained from the difference of measured extinction and scattering within the instrument. Aerosol absorption coefficient is also measured by a photoacoustic (PA) instrument (DRI) that was operated on an aircraft for the first time during the DOE Aerosol Intensive Operating Period (IOP). This paper will report on measurements made with this new instrument and other in-situ instruments during two field recent field studies. The first field study was an airborne cam;oaign, the DOE Aerosol Intensive Operating Period flown in May, 2003 over northern Oklahoma. One of the main purposes of the IOP was to assess our ability to measure extinction and absorption coefficient in situ. This paper compares measurements of these aerosol optical properties made by the CRD, PA, nephelometer, and Particle Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP) aboard the CIRPAS Twin-Otter. During the IOP, several significant aerosol layers were sampled aloft. These layers are identified in the remote (AATS-14) as well as in situ measurements. Extinction profiles measured by Cadenza are compared to those derived from the Ames Airborne Tracking Sunphotometer (AATS-14, NASA-ARC). The regional radiative impact of these layers is assessed by using the measured aerosol optical properties in a radiative transfer model. The second study was conducted in the Caldecott Tunnel, a heavily-used tunnel located north of San Francisco, Ca. The aerosol sampled in this study was

LOCAL AIR: Local Aerosol monitoring combining in-situ and Remote Sensing observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mona, Lucia; Caggiano, Rosa; Donvito, Angelo; Giannini, Vincenzo; Papagiannopoulos, Nikolaos; Sarli, Valentina; Trippetta, Serena

2015-04-01

The atmospheric aerosols have effects on climate, environment and health. Although the importance of the study of aerosols is well recognized, the current knowledge of the characteristics and their distribution is still insufficient, and there are large uncertainties in the current understanding of the role of aerosols on climate and the environment, both on a regional and local level. Overcoming these uncertainties requires a search strategy that integrates data from multiple platforms (eg, terrestrial, satellite, ships and planes) and the different acquisition techniques (for example, in situ measurements, remote sensing, modeling numerical and data assimilation) (Yu et al., 2006). To this end, in recent years, there have been many efforts such as the creation of networks dedicated to systematic observation of aerosols (eg, European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme-EMEP, European Aerosol Research Lidar NETwork-EARLINET, MicroPulse Lidar Network- MPLNET, and Aerosol Robotic NETwork-AERONET), the development and implementation of new satellite sensors and improvement of numerical models. The recent availability of numerous data to the ground, columnar and profiles of aerosols allows to investigate these aspects. An integrated approach between these different techniques could be able to provide additional information, providing greater insight into the properties of aerosols and their distribution and overcoming the limits of each single technique. In fact, the ground measurements allow direct determination of the physico-chemical properties of aerosols, but cannot be considered representative for large spatial and temporal scales and do not provide any information about the vertical profile of aerosols. On the other hand, the remote sensing techniques from the ground and satellite provide information on the vertical distribution of atmospheric aerosols both in the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL), mainly characterized by the presence of aerosols originating from

The Effect of Aerosol Hygroscopicity and Volatility on Aerosol Optical Properties During Southern Oxidant and Aerosol Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khlystov, A.; Grieshop, A. P.; Saha, P.; Subramanian, R.

2014-12-01

Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) from biogenic sources can influence optical properties of ambient aerosol by altering its hygroscopicity and contributing to light absorption directly via formation of brown carbon and indirectly by enhancing light absorption by black carbon ("lensing effect"). The magnitude of these effects remains highly uncertain. A set of state-of-the-art instruments was deployed at the SEARCH site near Centerville, AL during the Southern Oxidant and Aerosol Study (SOAS) campaign in summer 2013 to measure the effect of relative humidity and temperature on aerosol size distribution, composition and optical properties. Light scattering and absorption by temperature- and humidity-conditioned aerosols was measured using three photo-acoustic extinctiometers (PAX) at three wavelengths (405 nm, 532 nm, and 870 nm). The sample-conditioning system provided measurements at ambient RH, 10%RH ("dry"), 85%RH ("wet"), and 200 C ("TD"). In parallel to these measurements, a long residence time temperature-stepping thermodenuder (TD) and a variable residence time constant temperature TD in combination with three SMPS systems and an Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM) were used to assess aerosol volatility and kinetics of aerosol evaporation. We will present results of the on-going analysis of the collected data set. We will show that both temperature and relative humidity have a strong effect on aerosol optical properties. SOA appears to increase aerosol light absorption by about 10%. TD measurements suggest that aerosol equilibrated fairly quickly, within 2 s. Evaporation varied substantially with ambient aerosol loading and composition and meteorology.

Two-Column Aerosol Project: Aerosol Light Extinction Measurements Field Campaign Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dubey, Manvendra; Aiken, Allison; Berg, Larry

We deployed Aerodyne Research Inc.’s first Cavity Attenuated Phase Shift extinction (CAPS PMex) monitor (built by Aerodyne) that measures light extinction by using a visible-light-emitting diode (LED) as a light source, a sample cell incorporating two high-reflectivity mirrors centered at the wavelength of the LED, and a vacuum photodiode detector in Cape Cod in 2012/13 for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility’s Two-Column Aerosol Project (TCAP). The efficacy of this instrument is based on the fact that aerosols are broadband scatterers and absorbers of light. The input LED is square-wave modulated and passedmore » through the sample cell that distorts it due to exponential decay by aerosol light absorption and scattering; this is measured at the detector. The amount of phase shift of the light at the detector is used to determine the light extinction. This extinction measurement provides an absolute value, requiring no calibration. The goal was to compare the CAPS performance with direct measurements of absorption with ARM’s baseline photoacoustic soot spectrometer (PASS-3) and nephelometer instruments to evaluate its performance.« less

Instrumental neutron activation analysis for studying size-fractionated aerosols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salma, Imre; Zemplén-Papp, Éva

1999-10-01

Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was utilized for studying aerosol samples collected into a coarse and a fine size fraction on Nuclepore polycarbonate membrane filters. As a result of the panoramic INAA, 49 elements were determined in an amount of about 200-400 μg of particulate matter by two irradiations and four γ-spectrometric measurements. The analytical calculations were performed by the absolute ( k0) standardization method. The calibration procedures, application protocol and the data evaluation process are described and discussed. They make it possible now to analyse a considerable number of samples, with assuring the quality of the results. As a means of demonstrating the system's analytical capabilities, the concentration ranges, median or mean atmospheric concentrations and detection limits are presented for an extensive series of aerosol samples collected within the framework of an urban air pollution study in Budapest. For most elements, the precision of the analysis was found to be beyond the uncertainty represented by the sampling techniques and sample variability.

Multi-Parameter Aerosol Scattering Sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenberg, Paul S.; Fischer, David G.

2011-01-01

This work relates to the development of sensors that measure specific aerosol properties. These properties are in the form of integrated moment distributions, i.e., total surface area, total mass, etc., or mathematical combinations of these moment distributions. Specifically, the innovation involves two fundamental features: a computational tool to design and optimize such sensors and the embodiment of these sensors in actual practice. The measurement of aerosol properties is a problem of general interest. Applications include, but are not limited to, environmental monitoring, assessment of human respiratory health, fire detection, emission characterization and control, and pollutant monitoring. The objectives for sensor development include increased accuracy and/or dynamic range, the inclusion in a single sensor of the ability to measure multiple aerosol properties, and developing an overall physical package that is rugged, compact, and low in power consumption, so as to enable deployment in harsh or confined field applications, and as distributed sensor networks. Existing instruments for this purpose include scattering photometers, direct-reading mass instruments, Beta absorption devices, differential mobility analyzers, and gravitational samplers. The family of sensors reported here is predicated on the interaction of light and matter; specifically, the scattering of light from distributions of aerosol particles. The particular arrangement of the sensor, e.g. the wavelength(s) of incident radiation, the number and location of optical detectors, etc., can be derived so as to optimize the sensor response to aerosol properties of practical interest. A key feature of the design is the potential embodiment as an extremely compact, integrated microsensor package. This is of fundamental importance, as it enables numerous previously inaccessible applications. The embodiment of these sensors is inherently low maintenance and high reliability by design. The novel and

Monitoring the industrial sources of aerosol in Cubatao, Brazil, using a scanning elastic lidar and a lidar doppler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

da Costa, Renata F.; Marques, Marcia T. A.; M Macedo, Fernanda de; Andrade, Izabel da Silva; Araujo, Elaine Cristina; Correa, Thais; de Andrade Salani, Maria Helena Goncalves; Lopes, Daniel Silveira; Goncalves Guardani, Maria Lucia; Landulfo, Eduardo; Guardani, Roberto

2018-04-01

Field campaigns with a scanning multiwavelength elastic lidar coupled with a Doppler system to monitor industrial atmospheric aerosol emissions were carried out, with the objective of monitoring aerosol emission sources and plume dispersion. Since the technique provides information on the spatial and temporal distribution of aerosol concentration, the implementation of a systematic monitoring procedure is proposed as a valuable tool in air quality monitoring applied to regions of interest.

Measurements of Semi-volatile Aerosol and Its Effect on Aerosol Optical Properties During Southern Oxidant and Aerosol Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khlystov, A.; Grieshop, A. P.; Saha, P.; Subramanian, R.

2013-12-01

Semi-volatile compounds, including particle-bound water, comprise a large part of aerosol mass and have a significant influence on aerosol lifecycle and its optical properties. Understanding the properties of semi-volatile compounds, especially those pertaining to gas/aerosol partitioning, is of critical importance for our ability to predict concentrations and properties of ambient aerosol. A set of state-of-the-art instruments was deployed at the SEARCH site near Centerville, AL during the Southern Oxidant and Aerosol Study (SOAS) campaign in summer 2013 to measure the effect of temperature and relative humidity on aerosol size distribution, composition and optical properties. Light scattering and absorption by temperature- and humidity-conditioned aerosols was measured using three photo-acoustic extinctiometers (PAX) at three wavelengths (405 nm, 532 nm, and 870 nm). In parallel to these measurements, a long residence time temperature-stepping thermodenuder and a variable residence time constant temperature thermodenuder in combination with three SMPS systems and an Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM) were used to assess aerosol volatility and kinetics of aerosol evaporation. It was found that both temperature and relative humidity have a strong effect on aerosol optical properties. The variable residence time thermodenuder data suggest that aerosol equilibrated fairly quickly, within 2 s, in contrast to other ambient observations. Preliminary analysis show that approximately 50% and 90% of total aerosol mass evaporated at temperatures of 100 C and 180C, respectively. Evaporation varied substantially with ambient aerosol loading and composition and meteorology. During course of this study, T50 (temperatures at which 50% aerosol mass evaporates) varied from 60 C to more than 120 C.

Instruments for Water Quality Monitoring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ballinger, Dwight G.

1972-01-01

Presents information regarding available instruments for industries and agencies who must monitor numerous aquatic parameters. Charts denote examples of parameters sampled, testing methods, range and accuracy of test methods, cost analysis, and reliability of instruments. (BL)

Preliminary results of aerosols' properties studied with EPF measurements from the SPICAM/UV instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willame, Y.; Vandaele, A.-C.; Depiesse, C.; Gillotay, D.; Kochenova, S.; Montmessin, F.

2012-04-01

Aerosols on Mars have an important impact on the radiative transfer properties of its atmosphere. Today their spectral properties and therefore their interaction with UV radiation are only poorly known. Improving the radiative transfer modeling requires a better knowledge of their characteristics, in particular of their opacity, phase function and single scattering albedo. We will show that such information can be accessed by using EPF observations. The SPICAM instrument on board of the Mars-Express satellite is a 2 channel spectrometer. One channel operates in the ultraviolet (118-320 nm) and the second one in the infrared (1.0-1.7μm). SPICAM has been orbiting around the red planet since 2003 and has thus provided a large set of data. The instrument is capable of measuring under different geometries (nadir, limb, occultation) and one of them, called EPF (Emission Phase Function), is a practical tool to study aerosols' properties. We have developed a new retrieval algorithm for nadir measurements based on the radiative transfer model LIDORT. This new code performs simulations of spectra taking into account gas absorption, surface reflection and scattering by aerosols and gases. The retrieval method, based on the optimal estimation, allows us up to now to deduce the ozone column density, the aerosols' optical depth and the surface albedo (with fixed wavelength dependencies). We are developing our model further in order to better study the aerosols' characteristics using EPF observations, which consist in looking at the same point on the planet while the satellite moves along the orbit. As the attempt to study all the aerosols' properties simultaneously was not convincing, we will start with studying their opacity and its altitude distribution with the other characteristics fixed. We will present preliminary results of our study on aerosols' properties and their wavelength dependencies, using EPF data. The method will be illustrated by investigating SPICAM

Aerosol and Cloud Observations and Data Products by the GLAS Polar Orbiting Lidar Instrument

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spinhirne, J. D.; Palm, S. P.; Hlavka, D. L.; Hart, W. D.; Mahesh, A.; Welton, E. J.

2005-01-01

The Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) launched in 2003 is the first polar orbiting satellite lidar. The instrument was designed for high performance observations of the distribution and optical scattering cross sections of clouds and aerosol. The backscatter lidar operates at two wavelengths, 532 and 1064 nm. Both receiver channels meet and exceed their design goals, and beginning with a two month period through October and November 2003, an excellent global lidar data set now exists. The data products for atmospheric observations include the calibrated, attenuated backscatter cross section for cloud and aerosol; height detection for multiple cloud layers; planetary boundary layer height; cirrus and aerosol optical depth and the height distribution of aerosol and cloud scattering cross section profiles. The data sets are now in open release through the NASA data distribution system. The initial results on global statistics for cloud and aerosol distribution has been produced and in some cases compared to other satellite observations. The sensitivity of the cloud measurements is such that the 70% global cloud coverage result should be the most accurate to date. Results on the global distribution of aerosol are the first that produce the true height distribution for model inter-comparison.

A new approach to correct for absorbing aerosols in OMI UV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arola, A.; Kazadzis, S.; Lindfors, A.; Krotkov, N.; Kujanpää, J.; Tamminen, J.; Bais, A.; di Sarra, A.; Villaplana, J. M.; Brogniez, C.; Siani, A. M.; Janouch, M.; Weihs, P.; Webb, A.; Koskela, T.; Kouremeti, N.; Meloni, D.; Buchard, V.; Auriol, F.; Ialongo, I.; Staneck, M.; Simic, S.; Smedley, A.; Kinne, S.

2009-11-01

Several validation studies of surface UV irradiance based on the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) satellite data have shown a high correlation with ground-based measurements but a positive bias in many locations. The main part of the bias can be attributed to the boundary layer aerosol absorption that is not accounted for in the current satellite UV algorithms. To correct for this shortfall, a post-correction procedure was applied, based on global climatological fields of aerosol absorption optical depth. These fields were obtained by using global aerosol optical depth and aerosol single scattering albedo data assembled by combining global aerosol model data and ground-based aerosol measurements from AERONET. The resulting improvements in the satellite-based surface UV irradiance were evaluated by comparing satellite and ground-based spectral irradiances at various European UV monitoring sites. The results generally showed a significantly reduced bias by 5-20%, a lower variability, and an unchanged, high correlation coefficient.

Explicit and Observation-based Aerosol Treatment in Tropospheric NO2 Retrieval over China from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, M.; Lin, J.; Boersma, F.; Pinardi, G.; Wang, Y.; Chimot, J.; Wagner, T.; Xie, P.; Eskes, H.; Van Roozendael, M.; Hendrick, F.

2017-12-01

Satellite retrieval of vertical column densities (VCDs) of tropospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is influenced by aerosols substantially. Aerosols affect the retrieval of "effective cloud fraction (CF)" and "effective cloud top pressure (CP)" that are used in the subsequent NO2 retrieval to account for the presentence of clouds. And aerosol properties and vertical distributions directly affect the NO2 air mass factor (AMF) calculations. Our published POMINO algorithm uses a parallelized LIDORT-driven AMFv6 code to derive CF, CP and NO2 VCD. Daily information on aerosol optical properties are taken from GEOS-Chem simulations, with aerosol optical depth (AOD) further constrained by monthly MODIS AOD. However, the published algorithm does not include an observation-based constraint of aerosol vertical distribution. Here we construct a monthly climatological observation dataset of aerosol extinction profiles, based on Level-2 CALIOP data over 2007-2015, to further constrain aerosol vertical distributions. GEOS-Chem captures the temporal variations of CALIOP aerosol layer heights (ALH) but has an overall underestimate by about 0.3 km. It tends to overestimate the aerosol extinction by 10% below 2 km but with an underestimate by 30% above 2 km, leading to a low bias by 10-30% in the retrieved tropospheric NO2 VCD. After adjusting GEOS-Chem aerosol extinction profiles by the CALIOP monthly ALH climatology, the retrieved NO2 VCDs increase by 4-16% over China on a monthly basis in 2012. The improved NO2 VCDs are better correlated to independent MAX-DOAS observations at three sites than POMINO and DOMINO are - especially for the polluted cases, R2 reaches 0.76 for the adjusted POMINO, much higher than that for the published POMINO (0.68) and DOMINO (0.38). The newly retrieved CP increases by 60 hPa on average, because of a stronger aerosol screening effect. Compared to the CF used in DOMINO, which implicitly includes aerosol information, our improved CF is much lower and can

ON THE IMPACT OF THE HUMAN (CHILD) MICROCLIMATE ON PASSIVE AEROSOL MONITOR PERFORMANCE

EPA Science Inventory

Research into the wind microclimate and its effect on the accuracy and effectiveness of passive aerosol monitors is expanding as the importance of personal monitoring versus regional monitoring increases. The important phenomena for investigation include thermal and dynamic eff...

Carbonaceous aerosols in the Western Mediterranean during summertime and their contribution to the aerosol optical properties at ground level: First results of the ChArMEx-ADRIMED 2013 intensive campaign in Corsica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sciare, Jean; Dulac, Francois; Feron, Anais; Crenn, Vincent; Sarda Esteve, Roland; Baisnee, Dominique; Bonnaire, Nicolas; Hamonou, Eric; Mallet, Marc; Lambert, Dominique; Nicolas, Jose B.; Bourrianne, Thierry; Petit, Jean-Eudes; Favez, Olivier; Canonaco, Francesco; Prevot, Andre; Mocnik, Grisa; Drinovec, Luka; Marpillat, Alexandre; Serrie, Wilfrid

2014-05-01

As part of the Chemistry-Aerosol Mediterranean Experiment (ChArMEx, http://charmex.lsce.ipsl.fr/), the CORSiCA (http://www.obs-mip.fr/corsica) and the ANR-ADRIMED programs, a large set of real-time measurements of carbonaceous aerosols was deployed in June 2013 at the Cape Corsica atmospheric supersite (http://gaw.empa.ch/gawsis/reports.asp?StationID=2076203042). Submicron organic aerosols (OA) were monitored every 30 min using an Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM; Aerodyne Res. Inc. MA, USA); Fine (PM2.5) Organic Carbon (OC) and Elemental Carbon (EC) were measured every 2h using an OCEC Sunset Field Instrument (Sunset Lab, OR, USA) and every 12h using a low-vol (Leckel) filter sampler running at 2.3m3/h. Equivalent Black Carbon (BC) was monitored using two Aethalometers (models AE31 and AE33, Magee Scientific, US & Aerosol d.o.o., Slovenia) and a MAAP instrument (Thermo). Quality control of this large dataset was performed through chemical mass closure studies (using co-located SMPS and TEOM-FDMS) and direct comparisons with other real-time instruments running in parallel (Particle-Into-Liquid-Sampler-Ion-Chromatograph for ions, filter sampling, ...). Source apportionment of OA was then performed using the SourceFinder software (SoFi v4.5, http://www.psi.ch/acsm-stations/me-2) allowing the distinction between hydrogen- and oxygen-like organic aerosols (HOA and OOA, respectively) and highlighting the major contribution of secondary OA in the Western Mediterranean during summer. Using this time-resolved chemical information, reconstruction of the optical aerosol properties were performed and compared with integrating nephelometer (Model 3563, TSI, US) and photoacoustic extinctiometer (PAX, DMT, US) measurements performed in parallel. Results of these different closure studies (chemical/physical/optical) are presented and discussed here in details. They highlight the central role of carbonaceous aerosols on the optical properties of aerosols at ground level

Using the OMI Aerosol Index and Absorption Aerosol Optical Depth to evaluate the NASA MERRA Aerosol Reanalysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buchard, V.; da Silva, A. M.; Colarco, P. R.; Darmenov, A.; Randles, C. A.; Govindaraju, R.; Torres, O.; Campbell, J.; Spurr, R.

2014-12-01

A radiative transfer interface has been developed to simulate the UV Aerosol Index (AI) from the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System version 5 (GEOS-5) aerosol assimilated fields. The purpose of this work is to use the AI and Aerosol Absorption Optical Depth (AAOD) derived from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) measurements as independent validation for the Modern Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications Aerosol Reanalysis (MERRAero). MERRAero is based on a version of the GEOS-5 model that is radiatively coupled to the Goddard Chemistry, Aerosol, Radiation, and Transport (GOCART) aerosol module and includes assimilation of Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor. Since AI is dependent on aerosol concentration, optical properties and altitude of the aerosol layer, we make use of complementary observations to fully diagnose the model, including AOD from the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR), aerosol retrievals from the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) and attenuated backscatter coefficients from the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) mission to ascertain potential misplacement of plume height by the model. By sampling dust, biomass burning and pollution events in 2007 we have compared model produced AI and AAOD with the corresponding OMI products, identifying regions where the model representation of absorbing aerosols was deficient. As a result of this study over the Saharan dust region, we have obtained a new set of dust aerosol optical properties that retains consistency with the MODIS AOD data that were assimilated, while resulting in better agreement with aerosol absorption measurements from OMI. The analysis conducted over the South African and South American biomass burning regions indicates that revising the spectrally-dependent aerosol absorption properties in the near-UV region improves the modeled-observed AI comparisons

Using the OMI aerosol index and absorption aerosol optical depth to evaluate the NASA MERRA Aerosol Reanalysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buchard, V.; da Silva, A. M.; Colarco, P. R.; Darmenov, A.; Randles, C. A.; Govindaraju, R.; Torres, O.; Campbell, J.; Spurr, R.

2015-05-01

A radiative transfer interface has been developed to simulate the UV aerosol index (AI) from the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System version 5 (GEOS-5) aerosol assimilated fields. The purpose of this work is to use the AI and aerosol absorption optical depth (AAOD) derived from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) measurements as independent validation for the Modern Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications Aerosol Reanalysis (MERRAero). MERRAero is based on a version of the GEOS-5 model that is radiatively coupled to the Goddard Chemistry, Aerosol, Radiation, and Transport (GOCART) aerosol module and includes assimilation of aerosol optical depth (AOD) from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor. Since AI is dependent on aerosol concentration, optical properties and altitude of the aerosol layer, we make use of complementary observations to fully diagnose the model, including AOD from the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR), aerosol retrievals from the AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET) and attenuated backscatter coefficients from the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) mission to ascertain potential misplacement of plume height by the model. By sampling dust, biomass burning and pollution events in 2007 we have compared model-produced AI and AAOD with the corresponding OMI products, identifying regions where the model representation of absorbing aerosols was deficient. As a result of this study over the Saharan dust region, we have obtained a new set of dust aerosol optical properties that retains consistency with the MODIS AOD data that were assimilated, while resulting in better agreement with aerosol absorption measurements from OMI. The analysis conducted over the southern African and South American biomass burning regions indicates that revising the spectrally dependent aerosol absorption properties in the near-UV region improves the modeled-observed AI comparisons

Performance Comparison of Field Portable Instruments to the Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer Using Monodispersed and Polydispersed Sodium Chloride Aerosols.

PubMed

Vo, Evanly; Horvatin, Matthew; Zhuang, Ziqing

2018-05-21

This study compared the performance of the following field portable aerosol instrument sets to performance of the reference Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS): the handheld CPC-3007, the portable aerosol mobility spectrometer (PAMS), the NanoScan scanning mobility particle sizer (NanoScan SMPS) combined with an optical particle sizer (OPS). Tests were conducted with monodispersed and polydispersed aerosols. Monodispersed aerosols were controlled at the approximate concentration of 1 × 105 particles cm-3 and four monodispersed particle sizes of 30, 60, 100, and 300 nm were selected and classified for the monodispersed aerosol test, while three different steady-state concentration levels (low, medium, and high: ~8 × 103, 5 × 104, and 1 × 105 particles cm-3, respectively) were selected for the polydispersed aerosol test. For all four monodispersed aerosol sizes, particle concentrations measured with the NanoScan SMPS were within 13% of those measured with the reference SMPS. Particle concentrations measured with the PAMS were within 25% of those measured with the reference SMPS. Concentrations measured with the handheld condensation particle counter were within 30% of those measured with the reference SMPS. For the polydispersed aerosols, the particle sizes and concentrations measured with the NanoScan-OPS compared most favorably with those measured with the reference SMPS for three different concentration levels of low, medium, and high (concentration deviations ≤10% for all three concentration levels; deviations of particle size ≤4%). Although the particle-size comparability between the PAMS and the reference SMPS was quite reasonable with the deviations within 10%, the polydispersed particle concentrations measured with the PAMS were within 36% of those measured with the reference SMPS. The results of this evaluation will be useful for selecting a suitable portable device for our next workplace study phase of respiratory protection assessment. This

In Place Calibration of Aerosol Optical Depth Instruments.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denn, F. M.; Fabbri, B. E.; Schuster, G. L.

2016-12-01

Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) is important because aerosols determine atmospheric energy deposition and cloud condensation nuclei. AOD can be determined with a narrow band sun photometer. The first step in determining AOD is calibration, which is the determination of the top of atmosphere values (V0). The sun photometer considered here is a Yankee Environmental Multi-Filter Rotating Shadowband Radiometer (MFRSR). Four methods of determining the top of atmosphere values are examined and applied to data taken during the Third Filter Radiometer Comparison (FRC-III), held in Davos, Switzerland during September and October of 2015. Data from a set of three Physikalisch Meteorologisches Observatorium Davos (PMOD) manufactured Precision Filter Radiometers (PFRs), known as the PFR Triad, were used as the reference data set. Data were collected over a five year period at two Baseline Surface Radiation Network Sites: CLH (Chesapeake Light House, 25 kilometers off the Virginia coast); LRC (located in southeast Virginia); at PMOD; and at Mauna Loa, Hawaii. AODs determined using in place calibration agree with values determined by the Triad as well as or better than AODs determined using mountain calibrations, but determination of the V0s takes longer. Also, there is no possibility of instrument damage during shipping.

Overview of atmospheric aerosol studies in Malaysia: Known and unknown

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanniah, Kasturi Devi; Kaskaoutis, Dimitris G.; San Lim, Hwee; Latif, Mohd Talib; Kamarul Zaman, Nurul Amalin Fatihah; Liew, Juneng

2016-12-01

Atmospheric aerosols particularly those originated from anthropogenic sources can affect human health, air quality and the regional climate system of Southeast Asia (SEA). Population growth, and rapid urbanization associated with economic development in the SEA countries including Malaysia have resulted in high aerosol concentrations. Moreover, transboundary smoke plumes add more aerosols to the atmosphere in Malaysia. Nevertheless, the aerosol monitoring networks and/or field studies and research campaigns investigating the various aerosol properties are not so widespread over Malaysia. In the present work, we summarize and discuss the results of previous studies that investigated the aerosol properties over Malaysia by means of various instrumentation and techniques, focusing on the use of remote sensing data to examine atmospheric aerosols. Furthermore, we identify gaps in this research field and recommend further studies to bridge these knowledge gaps. More specifically gaps are identified in (i) monitoring aerosol loading and composition over urban areas, (ii) examining the influence of dust, (iii) assessing radiative effects of aerosols, (iv) measuring and modelling fine particles and (v) quantifying the contribution of long range transport of aerosols. Such studies are crucial for understanding the optical, physical and chemical properties of aerosols and their spatio-temporal characteristics over the region, which are useful for modelling and prediction of aerosols' effects on air quality and climate system.

AEROCAN, the Canadian sub-network of AERONET: Aerosol monitoring and air quality applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sioris, Christopher E.; Abboud, Ihab; Fioletov, Vitali E.; McLinden, Chris A.

2017-10-01

Previous studies have demonstrated the utility of AERONET (Aerosol Robotic Network) aerosol optical depth (AOD) data for monitoring the spatial variability of particulate matter (PM) in relatively polluted regions of the globe. AEROCAN, a Canadian sub-network of AERONET, was established 20 years ago and currently consists of twenty sites across the country. In this study, we examine whether the AEROCAN sunphotometer data provide evidence of anthropogenic contributions to ambient particulate matter concentrations in relatively clean Canadian locations. The similar weekly cycle of AOD and PM2.5 over Toronto provides insight into the impact of local pollution on observed AODs. High temporal correlations (up to r = 0.78) between daily mean AOD (or its fine-mode component) and PM2.5 are found at southern Ontario AEROCAN sites during May-August, implying that the variability in the aerosol load resides primarily in the boundary layer and that sunphotometers capture day-to-day PM2.5 variations at moderately polluted sites. The sensitivity of AEROCAN AOD data to anthropogenic surface-level aerosol enhancements is demonstrated using boundary-layer wind information for sites near sources of aerosol or its precursors. An advantage of AEROCAN relative to the Canadian in-situ National Air Pollution Surveillance (NAPS) network is the ability to detect free tropospheric aerosol enhancements, which can be large in the case of lofted forest fire smoke or desert dust. These aerosol plumes eventually descend to the surface, sometimes in populated areas, exacerbating air quality. In cases of large AOD (≥0.4), AEROCAN data are also useful in characterizing the aerosol type. The AEROCAN network includes three sites in the high Arctic, a region not sampled by the NAPS PM2.5 monitoring network. These polar sites show the importance of long-range transport and meteorology in the Arctic haze phenomenon. Also, AEROCAN sunphotometers are, by design and due to regular maintenance, the most

Quantitative retrieval of aerosol optical thickness from FY-2 VISSR data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Linyan; Xue, Yong; Cao, Chunxiang; Feng, Jianzhong; Zhang, Hao; Guang, Jie; Wang, Ying; Li, Yingjie; Mei, Linlu; Ai, Jianwen

2010-11-01

Atmospheric aerosol, as particulate matter suspended in the air, exists in a variety of forms such as dust, fume and mist. It deeply affects climate and land surface environment in both regional and global scales, and furthermore, lead to be hugely much influence on human health. For the sake of effectively monitoring it, many atmospheric aerosol observation networks are set up and provide associated informational services in the wide world, as well-known Aerosol robotic network (AERONET), Canadian Sunphotometer Network (AeroCan) and so forth. Given large-scale atmospheric aerosol monitoring, that satellite remote sensing data are used to inverse aerosol optical depth is one of available and effective approaches. Nowadays, special types of instruments aboard running satellites are applied to obtain related remote sensing data of retrieving atmospheric aerosol. However, atmospheric aerosol real-timely or near real-timely monitoring hasn't been accomplished. Nevertheless, retrievals, using Fengyun-2 VISSR data, are carried out and the above problem resolved to certain extent, especially over China. In this paper, the authors have developed a new retrieving model/mode to retrieve aerosol optical depth, using Fengyun-2 satellite data that were obtained by the VISSR aboard FY-2C and FY-2D. A series of the aerosol optical depth distribution maps with high time resolution were able to obtained, is helpful for understanding the forming mechanism, transport, influence and controlling approach of atmospheric aerosol.

Aerosol layer height from synergistic use of VIIRS and OMPS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, J.; Hsu, N. Y. C.; Sayer, A. M.; Kim, W.; Seftor, C. J.

2017-12-01

This study presents an Aerosol Single-scattering albedo and Height Estimation (ASHE) algorithm, which retrieves the height of UV-absorbing aerosols by synergistically using the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) and the Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS). ASHE provides height information over a much broader area than ground-based or spaceborne lidar measurements by benefitting from the wide swaths of the two instruments used. As determination of single-scattering albedo (SSA) of the aerosol layer is the most critical part for the performance and coverage of ASHE, here we demonstrate three different strategies to constrain the SSA. First, ASHE is able to retrieve the SSA of UV-absorbing aerosols when Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) provides vertical profiles of the aerosol layer of interest. Second, Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) inversions can directly constrain the SSA of the aerosol layer when collocated with VIIRS or OMPS. Last, a SSA climatology from ASHE, AERONET, or other data sources can be used for large-scale, aged aerosol events, for which climatological SSA is well-known, at the cost of a slight decrease in retrieval accuracy. The same algorithm can be applied to measurements of similar type, such as those made by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), for a long-term, consistent data record.

Biological aerosol background characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blatny, Janet; Fountain, Augustus W., III

2011-05-01

To provide useful information during military operations, or as part of other security situations, a biological aerosol detector has to respond within seconds or minutes to an attack by virulent biological agents, and with low false alarms. Within this time frame, measuring virulence of a known microorganism is extremely difficult, especially if the microorganism is of unknown antigenic or nucleic acid properties. Measuring "live" characteristics of an organism directly is not generally an option, yet only viable organisms are potentially infectious. Fluorescence based instruments have been designed to optically determine if aerosol particles have viability characteristics. Still, such commercially available biological aerosol detection equipment needs to be improved for their use in military and civil applications. Air has an endogenous population of microorganisms that may interfere with alarm software technologies. To design robust algorithms, a comprehensive knowledge of the airborne biological background content is essential. For this reason, there is a need to study ambient live bacterial populations in as many locations as possible. Doing so will permit collection of data to define diverse biological characteristics that in turn can be used to fine tune alarm algorithms. To avoid false alarms, improving software technologies for biological detectors is a crucial feature requiring considerations of various parameters that can be applied to suppress alarm triggers. This NATO Task Group will aim for developing reference methods for monitoring biological aerosol characteristics to improve alarm algorithms for biological detection. Additionally, they will focus on developing reference standard methodology for monitoring biological aerosol characteristics to reduce false alarm rates.

First ARM Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor Users’ Meeting Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Watson, Thomas; Aiken, Allison; Zhang, Qi

The first U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility aerosol chemical speciation monitor (ACSM) users’ meeting was held on April 11-13, 2017, at Aerodyne Research, Inc. in Billerica, Massachusetts, to discuss the Southern Great Plains (SGP) atmospheric observatory ACSM data quality and establish best practices for data collection and processing. The participants examined six years of calibration and processed data. Specific issues raised by data users were addressed and case studies from two field experiments were examined. The most recent data from the ACSM installed in the newly commissioned SGP ARM Mobile Facility 7 (AMF7) weremore » also evaluated. The participants recommended that the SGP ACSM data be reprocessed using calibration values averaged over the history of SGP ACSM calibrations. They also recommended that the data quality be evaluated by comparing (1) observed versus predicted particulate ammonium (NH4+) mass loadings, and (2) ACSM mass loadings versus mass loadings calculated from particle size and light scattering data. The contents of the datastreams from the ACSM were defined based on ARM requirements and the necessary tasks to implement these recommendations were assigned to the mentor and the instrument manufacturer. Some of the recommendations were implemented for the SGP data and are presented in this report. Data from two ARM sites located in marine environments were also analyzed. These analyses as well as instrument intercomparisons have led to further questions about data treatment. These will be addresses in the second users’ meeting scheduled for the summer of 2018.« less

Photoacoustic and filter measurements related to aerosol light absorption during the Northern Front Range Air Quality Study (Colorado 1996/1997)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moosmüller, H.; Arnott, W. P.; Rogers, C. F.; Chow, J. C.; Frazier, C. A.; Sherman, L. E.; Dietrich, D. L.

1998-11-01

A new photoacoustic instrument for the measurement of aerosol light absorption was collocated with conventional aerosol instrumentation during the 1996-1997 winter intensive monitoring period of the Northern Front Range Air Quality Study. Measurements of the light absorption efficiency for black carbon were 5 m2/g at 685 nm and 10 m2/g at 532 nm, and for elemental carbon, they were 3.6 m2/g at 685 nm. We show that these values together with previous photoacoustic measurements of aerosol light absorption shed some light on the wavelength dependence of absorption efficiency for carbonaceous aerosol in the visible and near-visible region. Integrating plate type filter measurements of aerosol light absorption result in far larger values than those measured with the photoacoustic instrument. We demonstrate that a recently published correction technique [Horvath, 1997] can yield improved agreement.

Aerosol counterflow two-jets unit for continuous measurement of the soluble fraction of atmospheric aerosols.

PubMed

Mikuska, Pavel; Vecera, Zbynek

2005-09-01

A new type of aerosol collector employing a liquid at laboratory temperature for continuous sampling of atmospheric particles is described. The collector operates on the principle of a Venturi scrubber. Sampled air flows at high linear velocity through two Venturi nozzles "atomizing" the liquid to form two jets of a polydisperse aerosol of fine droplets situated against each other. Counterflow jets of droplets collide, and within this process, the aerosol particles are captured into dispersed liquid. Under optimum conditions (air flow rate of 5 L/min and water flow rate of 2 mL/min), aerosol particles down to 0.3 microm in diameter are quantitatively collected in the collector into deionized water while the collection efficiency of smaller particles decreases. There is very little loss of fine aerosol within the aerosol counterflow two-jets unit (ACTJU). Coupling of the aerosol collector with an annular diffusion denuder located upstream of the collector ensures an artifact-free sampling of atmospheric aerosols. Operation of the ACTJU in combination with on-line detection devices allows in situ automated analysis of water-soluble aerosol species (e.g., NO2-, NO3-)with high time resolution (as high as 1 s). Under the optimum conditions, the limit of detection for particulate nitrite and nitrate is 28 and 77 ng/m(3), respectively. The instrument is sufficiently rugged for its application at routine monitoring of aerosol composition in the real time.

Instrumentation for Air Pollution Monitoring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hollowell, Craig D.; McLaughlin, Ralph D.

1973-01-01

Describes the techniques which form the basis of current commercial instrumentation for monitoring five major gaseous atmospheric pollutants (sulfur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, oxidants, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons). (JR)

Field test of a new instrument to measure UV/Vis (300-700 nm) ambient aerosol extinction spectra in Colorado during DISCOVER-AQ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jordan, C. E.; Anderson, B. E.; Beyersdorf, A. J.; Dibb, J. E.; Greenslade, M. E.; Martin, R.; Scheuer, E. M.; Shook, M.; Thornhill, K. L., II; Troop, D.; Winstead, E.; Ziemba, L. D.

2014-12-01

An optical instrument has been developed to investigate aerosol extinction spectra in the ambient atmosphere. Based on a White-type cell design and using a differential optical approach, aerosol extinction spectra over the 300-700 nm ultraviolet and visible (UV/Vis) wavelength range are obtained. Laboratory tests conducted at NASA Langley Research Center (NASA LaRC) in March 2014 showed good agreement with Cavity Attenuated Phase Shift (CAPS PMex, Aerodyne Research) extinction measurements (at 450, 530, and 630 nm) for a variety of aerosols, e.g., scatterers such as polystyrene latex spheres and ammonium sulfate; absorbers such as dust (including pigmented minerals), smoke (generated in a miniCAST burning propane) and laboratory smoke analogs (e.g., fullerene soot and aquadag). The instrument was field tested in Colorado in July and August 2014 aboard the NASA mobile laboratory at various ground sites during the DISCOVER-AQ (Deriving Information on Surface Conditions from Column and Vertically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality) field campaign. A description of the instrument, results from the laboratory tests, and summer field data will be presented. The instrument provides a new tool for probing in situ aerosol optical properties that may help inform remote sensing approaches well into the UV range.

Assessment of need for transport tubes when continuously monitoring for radioactive aerosols.

PubMed

Whicker, J J; Rodgers, J C; Lopez, R C

1999-09-01

Aerosol transport tubes are often used to draw aerosol from desirable sampling locations to nearby air sampling equipment that cannot be placed at that location. In many plutonium laboratories at Los Alamos National Laboratory, aerosol transport tubes are used to transport aerosol from the front of room ventilation exhaust registers to continuous air monitors (CAMs) that are mounted on nearby walls. Transport tubes are used because past guidance suggests that extraction of aerosol samples from exhaust locations provides the most sensitive and reliable detection under conditions where the rooms have unpredictable release locations and significant spatial variability in aerosol concentrations after releases, and where CAMs cannot be located in front of exhaust registers without blocking worker walkways. Despite designs to minimize particle loss in tubes, aerosol transport model predictions suggest losses occur lowering the sensitivity of CAMs to accidentally released plutonium aerosol. The goal of this study was to test the hypotheses that the reliability, speed, and sensitivity of aerosol detection would be equal whether the sample was extracted from the front of the exhaust register or from the wall location of CAMs. Polydisperse oil aerosols were released from multiple locations in two plutonium laboratories to simulate plutonium aerosol releases. Networked laser particle counters (LPCs) were positioned to simultaneously measure time-resolved aerosol concentrations at each exhaust register (representative of sampling with transport tubes) and at each wall-mounted CAM location (representative of sampling without transport tubes). Results showed no significant differences in detection reliability, speed, or sensitivity for LPCs positioned at exhaust locations when compared to LPCs positioned at the CAM wall location. Therefore, elimination of transport tubes would likely improve CAM performance.

Instrument Would Detect and Collect Biological Aerosols

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Savoy, Steve; Mayo, Mike

2006-01-01

A proposed compact, portable instrument would sample micron-sized airborne particles, would discriminate between biological ones (e.g., bacteria) and nonbiological ones (e.g., dust particles), and would collect the detected biological particles for further analysis. The instrument is intended to satisfy a growing need for means of rapid, inexpensive collection of bioaerosols in a variety of indoor and outdoor settings. Purposes that could be served by such collection include detecting airborne pathogens inside buildings and their ventilation systems, measuring concentrations of airborne biological contaminants around municipal waste-processing facilities, monitoring airborne effluents from suspected biowarfare facilities, and warning of the presence of airborne biowarfare agents

Information Content of Bistatic Lidar Observations of Aerosols from Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alexandrov, Mikhail D.; Mishchenko, Michael I.

2017-01-01

We present, for the first time, a quantitative retrieval error-propagation study for a bistatic high spectral resolution lidar (HSRL) system intended for detailed quasi-global monitoring of aerosol properties from space. Our results demonstrate that supplementing a conventional monostatic HSRL with an additional receiver flown in formation at a scattering angle close to 165 degrees dramatically increases the information content of the measurements and allows for a sufficiently accurate characterization of tropospheric aerosols. We conclude that a bistatic HSRL system would far exceed the capabilities of currently flown or planned orbital instruments in monitoring global aerosol effects on the environment and on the Earth's climate. We also demonstrate how the commonly used a priori 'regularization' methodology can artificially reduce the propagated uncertainties and can thereby be misleading as to the real retrieval capabilities of a measurement system.

Two-Column Aerosol Project (TCAP): Ground-Based Radiation and Aerosol Validation Using the NOAA Mobile SURFRAD Station Field Campaign Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Michalsky, Joseph; Lantz, Kathy

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is preparing for the launch of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite R-Series (GOES-R) satellite in 2015. This satellite will feature higher time (5-minute versus 30-minute sampling) and spatial resolution (0.5 km vs 1 km in the visible channel) than current GOES instruments provide. NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service has funded the Global Monitoring Division at the Earth System Research Laboratory to provide ground-based validation data for many of the new and old products the new GOES instruments will retrieve specifically related to radiation at the surface and aerosol and itsmore » extensive and intensive properties in the column. The Two-Column Aerosol Project (TCAP) had an emphasis on aerosol; therefore, we asked to be involved in this campaign to de-bug our new instrumentation and to provide a new capability that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility’s Mobile Facilities (AMF) did not possess, namely surface albedo measurement out to 1625 nm. This gave us a chance to test remote operation of our new multi-filter rotating shadowband radiometer/multi-filter radiometer (MFRSR/MFR) combination. We did not deploy standard broadband shortwave and longwave radiation instrumentation because ARM does this as part of every AMF deployment. As it turned out, the ARM standard MFRSR had issues, and we were able to provide the aerosol column data for the first 2 months of the campaign covering the summer flight phase of the deployment. Using these data, we were able to work with personnel at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to retrieve not only aerosol optical depth (AOD), but single scattering albedo and asymmetry parameter, as well.« less

The Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols (MAIA) Instrument, the Satellite-Based Element of an Investigation to Benefit Public Health

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diner, D. J.

2016-12-01

Maps of airborne particulate matter (PM) derived from satellite instruments, including MISR and MODIS, have provided key contributions to many health-related investigations. Although it is well established that PM exposure increases the risks of cardiovascular and respiratory disease, adverse birth outcomes, and premature deaths, our understanding of the relative toxicity of specific PM types—mixtures having different size distributions and compositions—is relatively poor. To address this, the Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols (MAIA) investigation was proposed to NASA's third Earth Venture Instrument (EVI-3) solicitation. MAIA was selected for funding in March 2016. The satellite-based MAIA instrument is one element of the scientific investigation, which will combine WRF-Chem transport model estimates of the abundances of different aerosol types with the data acquired from Earth orbit. Geostatistical models derived from collocated surface and MAIA retrievals will be used to relate retrieved fractional column aerosol optical depths to near-surface concentrations of major PM constituents. Epidemiological analyses of geocoded birth, death, and hospital records will be used to associate exposure to PM types with adverse health outcomes. The MAIA instrument obtains its sensitivity to particle type by building upon the legacies of many satellite sensors; observing in the UV, visible, near-IR, and shortwave-IR regions of the electromagnetic spectrum; acquiring images at multiple angles of view; determining the degree to which the scattered light is polarized; and integrating these capabilities at moderately high spatial resolution. The instrument concept is based on the first and second generation Airborne Multiangle SpectroPolarimetric Imagers, AirMSPI and AirMSPI-2. MAIA incorporates a pair of pushbroom cameras on a two-axis gimbal to provide regional multiangle observations of selected, globally distributed target areas. A set of Primary Target Areas (PTAs) on five

The Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE III) on the International Space Station (ISS) Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cisewski, Michael; Zawodny, Joseph; Gasbarre, Joseph; Eckman, Richard; Topiwala, Nandkishore; Rodriquez-Alvarez, Otilia; Cheek, Dianne; Hall, Steve

2014-01-01

The Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment III on the International Space Station (SAGE III/ISS) mission will provide the science community with high-vertical resolution and nearly global observations of ozone, aerosols, water vapor, nitrogen dioxide, and other trace gas species in the stratosphere and upper-troposphere. SAGE III/ISS measurements will extend the long-term Stratospheric Aerosol Measurement (SAM) and SAGE data record begun in the 1970s. The multi-decadal SAGE ozone and aerosol data sets have undergone intense scrutiny and are considered the international standard for accuracy and stability. SAGE data have been used to monitor the effectiveness of the Montreal Protocol. Key objectives of the mission are to assess the state of the recovery in the distribution of ozone, to re-establish the aerosol measurements needed by both climate and ozone models, and to gain further insight into key processes contributing to ozone and aerosol variability. The space station mid-inclination orbit allows for a large range in latitude sampling and nearly continuous communications with payloads. The SAGE III instrument is the fifth in a series of instruments developed for monitoring atmospheric constituents with high vertical resolution. The SAGE III instrument is a moderate resolution spectrometer covering wavelengths from 290 nm to 1550 nm. Science data is collected in solar occultation mode, lunar occultation mode, and limb scatter measurement mode. A SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle will provide access to space. Mounted in the unpressurized section of the Dragon trunk, SAGE III will be robotically removed from the Dragon and installed on the space station. SAGE III/ISS will be mounted to the ExPRESS Logistics Carrier-4 (ELC-4) location on the starboard side of the station. To facilitate a nadir view from this location, a Nadir Viewing Platform (NVP) payload was developed which mounts between the carrier and the SAGE III Instrument Payload (IP).

Trace Gas Measurements from the GeoTASO and GCAS Airborne Instruments: An Instrument and Algorithm Test-Bed for Air Quality Observations from Geostationary Orbit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nowlan, C. R.; Liu, X.; Janz, S. J.; Leitch, J. W.; Al-Saadi, J. A.; Chance, K.; Cole, J.; Delker, T.; Follette-Cook, M. B.; Gonzalez Abad, G.; Good, W. S.; Kowalewski, M. G.; Loughner, C.; Pickering, K. E.; Ruppert, L.; Soo, D.; Szykman, J.; Valin, L.; Zoogman, P.

2016-12-01

The Geostationary Trace gas and Aerosol Sensor Optimization (GeoTASO) and the GEO-CAPE Airborne Simulator (GCAS) instruments are pushbroom sensors capable of making remote sensing measurements of air quality and ocean color. Originally developed as test-bed instruments for the Geostationary Coastal and Air Pollution Events (GEO-CAPE) decadal survey, these instruments are now also part of risk reduction for the upcoming Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) and Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS) geostationary satellite missions, and will provide validation capabilities after the satellite instruments are in orbit. GeoTASO and GCAS flew on two different aircraft in their first intensive air quality field campaigns during the DISCOVER-AQ missions over Texas in 2013 and Colorado in 2014. GeoTASO was also deployed in 2016 during the KORUS-AQ field campaign to make measurements of trace gases and aerosols over Korea. GeoTASO and GCAS collect spectra of backscattered solar radiation in the UV and visible that can be used to derive 2-D maps of trace gas columns below the aircraft at spatial resolutions on the order of 250 x 500 m. We present spatially resolved maps of trace gas retrievals of ozone, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde and sulfur dioxide over urban areas and power plants from flights during the field campaigns, and comparisons with data from ground-based spectrometers, in situ monitoring instruments, and satellites.

Intercomparison of an Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM) with ambient fine aerosol measurements in Downtown Atlanta, Georgia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budisulistiorini, S. H.; Canagaratna, M. R.; Croteau, P. L.; Baumann, K.; Edgerton, E. S.; Kollman, M. S.; Ng, N. L.; Verma, V.; Shaw, S. L.; Knipping, E. M.; Worsnop, D. R.; Jayne, J. T.; Weber, R. J.; Surratt, J. D.

2013-12-01

The Aerodyne Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM) was recently developed to provide long-term real-time continuous measurements of ambient non-refractory (i.e., organic, sulfate, ammonium, nitrate, and chloride) submicron particulate matter (NR-PM1). Currently, there are a limited number of field studies that evaluate the long-term performance of the ACSM against established monitoring networks. In this study, we present seasonal intercomparisons of the ACSM with collocated fine aerosol (PM2.5) measurements at the Southeastern Aerosol Research and Characterization (SEARCH) Jefferson Street (JST) site near downtown Atlanta, GA, during 2011-2012. The collocated measurements included a second ACSM, continuous and integrated sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium measurements, as well as a semi-continuous Sunset organic carbon/elemental carbon (OC/EC) analyzer, continuous tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM), 24 h integrated Federal Reference Method (FRM) filters, and continuous scanning electrical mobility system-mixing condensation particle counter (SEMS-MCPC). Intercomparison of the two collocated ACSMs resulted in strong correlations (r2 > 0.8) for all chemical species, except chloride (r2 = 0.21); mass concentration for all chemical species agreed within ±27%, indicating that ACSM instruments are capable of stable and reproducible operation. Chemical constituents measured by the ACSM are also compared with those obtained from the continuous measurements from JST. Since the continuous measurement concentrations are adjusted to match the integrated filter measurements, these comparisons reflect the combined uncertainties of the ACSM, continuous, and filter measurements. In general, speciated ACSM mass concentrations correlate well (r2 > 0.7) with the continuous measurements from JST, although the correlation for nitrate is weaker (r2 = 0.55) in summer. Differences between ACSM mass concentrations and the filter-adjusted JST continuous data are 5-27%, 4

Remote Sensing of Aerosol and their Radiative Properties from the MODIS Instrument on EOS-Terra Satellite: First Results and Evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufman, Yoram; Tanre, Didier; Remer, Lorraine; Holben, Brent; Lau, William K.-M. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The MODIS instrument was launched on the NASA Terra satellite in Dec. 1999. Since last Oct., the sensor and the aerosol algorithm reached maturity and provide global daily retrievals of aerosol optical thickness and properties. MODIS has 36 spectral channels in the visible to IR with resolution down to 250 m. This allows accurate cloud screening and multi-spectral aerosol retrievals. We derive the aerosol optical thickness over the ocean and most of the land areas, distinguishing between fine (mainly man-made aerosol) and coarse aerosol particles. The information is more precise over the ocean where we derive also the effective radius and scattering asymmetry parameter of the aerosol. New methods to derive the aerosol single scattering albedo are also being developed. These measurements are use to track different aerosol sources, transport and the radiative forcing at the top and bottom of the atmosphere. The AErosol RObotic NETwork of ground based radiometers is used for global validation of the satellite derived optical thickness, size parameters and single scattering albedo and measure additional aerosol parameters that cannot be derived from space.

CLOUDCLOUD : general-purpose instrument monitoring and data managing software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dias, António; Amorim, António; Tomé, António

2016-04-01

An effective experiment is dependent on the ability to store and deliver data and information to all participant parties regardless of their degree of involvement in the specific parts that make the experiment a whole. Having fast, efficient and ubiquitous access to data will increase visibility and discussion, such that the outcome will have already been reviewed several times, strengthening the conclusions. The CLOUD project aims at providing users with a general purpose data acquisition, management and instrument monitoring platform that is fast, easy to use, lightweight and accessible to all participants of an experiment. This work is now implemented in the CLOUD experiment at CERN and will be fully integrated with the experiment as of 2016. Despite being used in an experiment of the scale of CLOUD, this software can also be used in any size of experiment or monitoring station, from single computers to large networks of computers to monitor any sort of instrument output without influencing the individual instrument's DAQ. Instrument data and meta data is stored and accessed via a specially designed database architecture and any type of instrument output is accepted using our continuously growing parsing application. Multiple databases can be used to separate different data taking periods or a single database can be used if for instance an experiment is continuous. A simple web-based application gives the user total control over the monitored instruments and their data, allowing data visualization and download, upload of processed data and the ability to edit existing instruments or add new instruments to the experiment. When in a network, new computers are immediately recognized and added to the system and are able to monitor instruments connected to them. Automatic computer integration is achieved by a locally running python-based parsing agent that communicates with a main server application guaranteeing that all instruments assigned to that computer are

Monitoring and analysis of combustion aerosol emissions from fast moving diesel trains.

PubMed

Burchill, Michael J; Gramotnev, Dmitri K; Gramotnev, Galina; Davison, Brian M; Flegg, Mark B

2011-02-01

In this paper we report the results of the detailed monitoring and analysis of combustion emissions from fast moving diesel trains. A new highly efficient monitoring methodology is proposed based on the measurements of the total number concentration (TNC) of combustion aerosols at a fixed point (on a bridge overpassing the railway) inside the violently mixing zone created by a fast moving train. Applicability conditions for the proposed methodology are presented, discussed and linked to the formation of the stable and uniform mixing zone. In particular, it is demonstrated that if such a mixing zone is formed, the monitoring results are highly consistent, repeatable (with typically negligible statistical errors and dispersion), stable with respect to the external atmospheric turbulence and result in an unusual pattern of the aerosol evolution with two or three distinct TNC maximums. It is also shown that the stability and uniformity of the created mixing zone (as well as the repeatability of the monitoring results) increase with increasing length of the train (with an estimated critical train length of ~10 carriages, at the speed of ~150km/h). The analysis of the obtained evolutionary dependencies of aerosol TNC suggests that the major possible mechanisms responsible for the formation of the distinct concentration maximums are condensation (the second maximum) and thermal fragmentation of solid nanoparticle aggregates (third maximum). The obtained results and the new methodology will be important for monitoring and analysis of combustion emissions from fast moving trains, and for the determination of the impact of rail networks on the atmospheric environment and human exposure to combustion emissions. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tomographic reconstruction of an aerosol plume using passive multiangle observations from the MISR satellite instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garay, Michael J.; Davis, Anthony B.; Diner, David J.

2016-12-01

We present initial results using computed tomography to reconstruct the three-dimensional structure of an aerosol plume from passive observations made by the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) instrument on NASA's Terra satellite. MISR views the Earth from nine different angles at four visible and near-infrared wavelengths. Adopting the 672 nm channel, we treat each view as an independent measure of aerosol optical thickness along the line of sight at 1.1 km resolution. A smoke plume over dark water is selected as it provides a more tractable lower boundary condition for the retrieval. A tomographic algorithm is used to reconstruct the horizontal and vertical aerosol extinction field for one along-track slice from the path of all camera rays passing through a regular grid. The results compare well with ground-based lidar observations from a nearby Micropulse Lidar Network site.

Note: Real time optical sensing of alpha-radiation emitting radioactive aerosols based on solid state nuclear track detector.

PubMed

Kulkarni, A; Ha, S; Joshirao, P; Manchanda, V; Bak, M S; Kim, T

2015-06-01

A sensitive radioactive aerosols sensor has been designed and developed. Its design guidance is based on the need for a low operational cost and reliable measurements to provide daily aerosol monitoring. The exposure of diethylene-glycol bis (allylcarbonate) to radiation causes modification of its physico-chemical properties like surface roughness and reflectance. In the present study, optical sensor based on the reflectance measurement has been developed with an aim to monitor real time presence of alpha radioactive aerosols emitted from thorium nitrate hydrate. The results shows that the fabricated sensor can detect 0.0157 kBq to 0.1572 kBq of radio activity by radioactive aerosols generated from (Th(NO3)4 ⋅ 5H2O) at 0.1 ml/min flow rate. The proposed instrument will be helpful to monitor radioactive aerosols in/around a nuclear facility, building construction sites, mines, and granite polishing factories.

The Cloud-Aerosol Transport System (CATS): A New Lidar for Aerosol and Cloud Profiling from the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Welton, Ellsworth J.; McGill, Mathew J.; Yorks. John E.; Hlavka, Dennis L.; Hart, William D.; Palm, Stephen P.; Colarco, Peter R.

2012-01-01

Spaceborne lidar profiling of aerosol and cloud layers has been successfully implemented during a number of prior missions, including LITE, ICESat, and CALIPSO. Each successive mission has added increased capability and further expanded the role of these unique measurements in wide variety of applications ranging from climate, to air quality, to special event monitoring (ie, volcanic plumes). Many researchers have come to rely on the availability of profile data from CALIPSO, especially data coincident with measurements from other A-Train sensors. The CALIOP lidar on CALIPSO continues to operate well as it enters its fifth year of operations. However, active instruments have more limited lifetimes than their passive counterparts, and we are faced with a potential gap in lidar profiling from space if the CALIOP lidar fails before a new mission is operational. The ATLID lidar on EarthCARE is not expected to launch until 2015 or later, and the lidar component of NASA's proposed Aerosols, Clouds, and Ecosystems (ACE) mission would not be until after 2020. Here we present a new aerosol and cloud lidar that was recently selected to provide profiling data from the International Space Station (ISS) starting in 2013. The Cloud-Aerosol Transport System (CATS) is a three wavelength (1064,532,355 nm) elastic backscatter lidar with HSRL capability at 532 nm. Depolarization measurements will be made at all wavelengths. The primary objective of CATS is to continue the CALIPSO aerosol and cloud profile data record, ideally with overlap between both missions and EarthCARE. In addition, the near real time (NRT) data capability ofthe ISS will enable CATS to support operational applications such as aerosol and air quality forecasting and special event monitoring. The HSRL channel will provide a demonstration of technology and a data testbed for direct extinction retrievals in support of ACE mission development. An overview of the instrument and mission will be provided, along with a

A detailed study of the 2010 fires in Russia by multiple satellite instruments: what can we learn from the UV Aerosol Indices?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Penning de Vries, M. J.; Wagner, T.; Fromm, M. D.

2010-12-01

For almost a month in July and August 2010, an exceptionally high number of fires occurred across western Russia. Varying fire characteristics and intensity due to differences in fuel composition and meteorological conditions caused smoke plumes to vary in color, altitude and optical density. Peat bog fires around Moscow tended to produce low-lying, whitish smoke layers, whereas some severe forest fires were found to have caused so-called pyro-Cbs: thick, mostly dark smoke plumes on top of large convective clouds that reached as high as the stratosphere. In situations where an aerosol layer overlays a cloud, many remote sensing aerosol retrievals break down due to the brightness of the “surface”. The UV Aerosol Indices (UVAI) do not suffer from this drawback, and in fact are more sensitive to absorbing aerosols if the underlying surface is bright, therefore making them very suitable for our type of investigation. However, aerosol plumes are very complex and the UVAI are only semi-quantitative measures that are determined by aerosol extinction and absorption, but also by the altitude of the aerosol plume. We therefore chose to combine our UVAI measurements from the instruments SCIAMACHY, OMI, and GOME-2 with observations by other satellite instruments, such as MODIS, MISR, MERIS, and CALIOP. We also compared the measurements to radiative transfer model calculations of many different aerosol scenarios to draw conclusions about what specific aerosol characteristics cause the variation in pyro-Cb appearances.

Water vapor and aerosol lidar measurements within an atmospheric instrumental super site to study the aerosols and the tropospheric trace gases in rome

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dionisi, D.; Iannarelli, A. M.; Scoccione, A.; Liberti, G. L.; Cacciani, M.; Argentini, S.; Baldini, L.; Barnaba, F.; Campanelli, M.; Casasanta, G.; Diémoz, H.; Di Liberto, L.; Gobbi, G. P.; Petenko, I.; Siani, A. M.; Von Bismarck, J.; Casadio, S.

2018-04-01

A joint instrumental Super Site, combining observation in urban ("Sapienza" University) and semi-rural (ESA-ESRIN and CNR-ISAC) environment, for atmospheric studies and satellites Cal/Val activities, has been set-up in the Rome area (Italy). Ground based active and passive remote sensing instruments located in both sites are operating in synergy, offering information for a wide range of atmospheric parameters. In this work, a comparison of aerosol and water vapor measurements derived by the Rayleigh-Mie-Raman (RMR) lidars, operating simultaneously in both experimental sites, is presented.

Using Satellite Aerosol Retrievals to Monitor Surface Particulate Air Quality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levy, Robert C.; Remer, Lorraine A.; Kahn, Ralph A.; Chu, D. Allen; Mattoo, Shana; Holben, Brent N.; Schafer, Joel S.

2011-01-01

The MODIS and MISR aerosol products were designed nearly two decades ago for the purpose of climate applications. Since launch of Terra in 1999, these two sensors have provided global, quantitative information about column-integrated aerosol properties, including aerosol optical depth (AOD) and relative aerosol type parameters (such as Angstrom exponent). Although primarily designed for climate, the air quality (AQ) community quickly recognized that passive satellite products could be used for particulate air quality monitoring and forecasting. However, AOD and particulate matter (PM) concentrations have different units, and represent aerosol conditions in different layers of the atmosphere. Also, due to low visible contrast over brighter surface conditions, satellite-derived aerosol retrievals tend to have larger uncertainty in urban or populated regions. Nonetheless, the AQ community has made significant progress in relating column-integrated AOD at ambient relative humidity (RH) to surface PM concentrations at dried RH. Knowledge of aerosol optical and microphysical properties, ambient meteorological conditions, and especially vertical profile, are critical for physically relating AOD and PM. To make urban-scale maps of PM, we also must account for spatial variability. Since surface PM may vary on a finer spatial scale than the resolution of standard MODIS (10 km) and MISR (17km) products, we test higher-resolution versions of MODIS (3km) and MISR (1km research mode) retrievals. The recent (July 2011) DISCOVER-AQ campaign in the mid-Atlantic offers a comprehensive network of sun photometers (DRAGON) and other data that we use for validating the higher resolution satellite data. In the future, we expect that the wealth of aircraft and ground-based measurements, collected during DISCOVER-AQ, will help us quantitatively link remote sensed and ground-based measurements in the urban region.

Monitoring and tracking the trans-Pacific transport of aerosols using multi-satellite aerosol optical depth composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naeger, Aaron R.; Gupta, Pawan; Zavodsky, Bradley T.; McGrath, Kevin M.

2016-06-01

The primary goal of this study was to generate a near-real time (NRT) aerosol optical depth (AOD) product capable of providing a comprehensive understanding of the aerosol spatial distribution over the Pacific Ocean, in order to better monitor and track the trans-Pacific transport of aerosols. Therefore, we developed a NRT product that takes advantage of observations from both low-earth orbiting and geostationary satellites. In particular, we utilize AOD products from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) satellites. Then, we combine these AOD products with our own retrieval algorithms developed for the NOAA Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-15) and Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) Multi-functional Transport Satellite (MTSAT-2) to generate a NRT daily AOD composite product. We present examples of the daily AOD composite product for a case study of trans-Pacific transport of Asian pollution and dust aerosols in mid-March 2014. Overall, the new product successfully tracks this aerosol plume during its trans-Pacific transport to the west coast of North America as the frequent geostationary observations lead to a greater coverage of cloud-free AOD retrievals equatorward of about 35° N, while the polar-orbiting satellites provide a greater coverage of AOD poleward of 35° N. However, we note several areas across the domain of interest from Asia to North America where the GOES-15 and MTSAT-2 retrieval algorithms can introduce significant uncertainties into the new product.

Error analysis of the greenhouse-gases monitor instrument short wave infrared XCO2 retrieval algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Hao; Wang, Xianhua; Ye, Hanhan; Jiang, Yun; Duan, Fenghua

2018-01-01

We developed an algorithm (named GMI_XCO2) to retrieve the global column-averaged dry air mole fraction of atmospheric carbon dioxide (XCO2) for greenhouse-gases monitor instrument (GMI) and directional polarized camera (DPC) on the GF-5 satellite. This algorithm is designed to work in cloudless atmospheric conditions with aerosol optical thickness (AOT)<0.3. To quantify the uncertainty level of the retrieved XCO2 when the aerosols and cirrus clouds occurred in retrieving XCO2 with the GMI short wave infrared (SWIR) data, we analyzed the errors rate caused by the six types of aerosols and cirrus clouds. The results indicated that in AOT range of 0.05 to 0.3 (550 nm), the uncertainties of aerosols could lead to errors of -0.27% to 0.59%, -0.32% to 1.43%, -0.10% to 0.49%, -0.12% to 1.17%, -0.35% to 0.49%, and -0.02% to -0.24% for rural, dust, clean continental, maritime, urban, and soot aerosols, respectively. The retrieval results presented a large error due to cirrus clouds. In the cirrus optical thickness range of 0.05 to 0.8 (500 nm), the most underestimation is up to 26.25% when the surface albedo is 0.05. The most overestimation is 8.1% when the surface albedo is 0.65. The retrieval results of GMI simulation data demonstrated that the accuracy of our algorithm is within 4 ppm (˜1%) using the simultaneous measurement of aerosols and clouds from DPC. Moreover, the speed of our algorithm is faster than full-physics (FP) methods. We verified our algorithm with Greenhouse-gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) data in Beijing area during 2016. The retrieval errors of most observations are within 4 ppm except for summer. Compared with the results of GOSAT, the correlation coefficient is 0.55 for the whole year data, increasing to 0.62 after excluding the summer data.

Volcano-Monitoring Instrumentation in the United States, 2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Guffanti, Marianne; Diefenbach, Angela K.; Ewert, John W.; Ramsey, David W.; Cervelli, Peter F.; Schilling, Steven P.

2010-01-01

The United States is one of the most volcanically active countries in the world. According to the global volcanism database of the Smithsonian Institution, the United States (including its Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) is home to about 170 volcanoes that are in an eruptive phase, have erupted in historical time, or have not erupted recently but are young enough (eruptions within the past 10,000 years) to be capable of reawakening. From 1980 through 2008, 30 of these volcanoes erupted, several repeatedly. Volcano monitoring in the United States is carried out by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Volcano Hazards Program, which operates a system of five volcano observatories-Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO), Cascades Volcano Observatory (CVO), Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO), Long Valley Observatory (LVO), and Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO). The observatories issue public alerts about conditions and hazards at U.S. volcanoes in support of the USGS mandate under P.L. 93-288 (Stafford Act) to provide timely warnings of potential volcanic disasters to the affected populace and civil authorities. To make efficient use of the Nation's scientific resources, the volcano observatories operate in partnership with universities and other governmental agencies through various formal agreements. The Consortium of U.S. Volcano Observatories (CUSVO) was established in 2001 to promote scientific cooperation among the Federal, academic, and State agencies involved in observatory operations. Other groups also contribute to volcano monitoring by sponsoring long-term installation of geophysical instruments at some volcanoes for specific research projects. This report describes a database of information about permanently installed ground-based instruments used by the U.S. volcano observatories to monitor volcanic activity (unrest and eruptions). The purposes of this Volcano-Monitoring Instrumentation Database (VMID) are to (1) document the Nation's existing

Atmospheric Aerosol Sampling with Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in Alaska: Instrument Development, Payload Integration, and Measurement Campaigns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barberie, S. R.; Saiet, E., II; Hatfield, M. C.; Cahill, C. F.

2014-12-01

Atmospheric aerosols remain one of biggest variables in understanding global climate. The number of feedback loops involved in aerosol processes lead to nonlinear behavior at the systems level, making confident modeling and prediction difficult. It is therefore important to ground-truth and supplement modeling efforts with rigorous empirical measurements. To this end, the Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration (ACUASI) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks has developed a new cascade DRUM-style impactor to be mounted aboard a variety of unmanned aircraft and work in tandem with an optical particle counter for the routine collection of atmospheric aerosols. These UAS-based aerosol samplers will be employed for measurement campaigns in traditionally hazardous conditions such as volcanic plumes and over forest fires. Here we report on the development and laboratory calibration of the new instrument, the integration with UAS, and the vertical profiling campaigns being undertaken.

Pulsed ultrasonic instruments for monitoring the strength of materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korolev, Mikhail Viktorovich; Starikov, Boris Pavlovich; Karpel'Son, Arkadii Efimovich

The book is concerned with various aspects of the design of portable instruments for the ultrasonic monitoring of the strength and ductile characteristics of structural materials, including metals, alloys, and ceramics. Particular attention is given to methods for increasing the accuracy of the instruments while reducing their size, which is particularly important in the design of miniature instruments for the real-time monitoring of machines, mechanisms, and structures during operation.

A laboratory comparison of evacuation devices on aerosol reduction.

PubMed

Jacks, Mary E

2002-01-01

Aerosols are defined as airborne particles that range in size from 0.5 to 10 microns (micron). They are produced during ultrasonic instrumentation, but they can be reduced. Irrigant solutions, which produce the therapeutic effects of lavage, also combine with blood, saliva, and bacteria to produce potentially harmful airborne particulates. The American Dental Association (ADA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend utilization of high volume evacuation, rubber dam, and patient positioning for aerosol control. But for the non-assisted dental hygienist, these recommendations are difficult to implement. This study was designed to compare the concentration of airborne particulates from ultrasonic scaling, utilizing three different methods of evacuation. In a laboratory setting, ultrasonic airborne particulates were generated utilizing a 25,000 cps magnetostrictive ultrasonic scaling instrument. Three evacuation devises were compared for effectiveness: a standard saliva ejector intraorally positioned; and two extraorally positioned, hands-free high-volume evacuation (HFHVE) techniques. One of these devices had a standard attachment, and, the other had a funnel-shaped attachment. Measurement of airborne particles was performed with a DataRAM Real-Time Aerosol Monitor. This study (N = 21) found a significant reduction in the number of airborne particulates with either form of extraoral HFHVE attachment in place. Standard attachments and funnel-shaped attachments to HFHVE resulted in reduction of particulates by 90.8% and 89.7%, respectively, when compared to the intraorally positioned standard saliva ejector. Utilizing either form of HFHVE during ultrasonic instrumentation significantly reduced the number of aerosolized particulates that reached the breathing space of the client and clinician. This lends support for the ADA and CDC recommendation that HVE be used during aerosol producing procedures. Currently, no preventive measure is 100

In Situ Measurement of Aerosol Extinction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strawa, Anthony W.; Castaneda, R.; Owano, T. G.; Bear, D.; Gore, Warren J. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Aerosols are important contributors to the radiative forcing in the atmosphere. Much of the uncertainty in our knowledge of climate forcing is due to uncertainties in the radiative forcing due to aerosols as illustrated in the IPCC reports of the last ten years. Improved measurement of aerosol optical properties, therefore, is critical to an improved understanding of atmospheric radiative forcing. Additionally, attempts to reconcile in situ and remote measurements of aerosol radiative properties have generally not been successful. This is due in part to the fact that it has been impossible to measure aerosol extinction in situ in the past. In this presentation we introduce a new instrument that employs the techniques used in cavity ringdown spectroscopy to measure the aerosol extinction and scattering coefficients in situ. A prototype instrument has been designed and tested in the lab and the field. It is capable of measuring aerosol extinction coefficient to 2x10(exp -6) per meter. This prototype instrument is described and results are presented.

In Situ Aerosol Detector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vakhtin, Andrei; Krasnoperov, Lev

2011-01-01

An affordable technology designed to facilitate extensive global atmospheric aerosol measurements has been developed. This lightweight instrument is compatible with newly developed platforms such as tethered balloons, blimps, kites, and even disposable instruments such as dropsondes. This technology is based on detection of light scattered by aerosol particles where an optical layout is used to enhance the performance of the laboratory prototype instrument, which allows detection of smaller aerosol particles and improves the accuracy of aerosol particle size measurement. It has been determined that using focused illumination geometry without any apertures is advantageous over using the originally proposed collimated beam/slit geometry (that is supposed to produce uniform illumination over the beam cross-section). The illumination source is used more efficiently, which allows detection of smaller aerosol particles. Second, the obtained integral scattered light intensity measured for the particle can be corrected for the beam intensity profile inhomogeneity based on the measured beam intensity profile and measured particle location. The particle location (coordinates) in the illuminated sample volume is determined based on the information contained in the image frame. The procedure considerably improves the accuracy of determination of the aerosol particle size.

Satellite assisted aerosol correlation in a sequestered CO2 leakage controlled site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landulfo, Eduardo; da Silva Lopes, Fábio J.; Nakaema, Walter M.; de Medeiros, José A. G.; Moreira, Andrea

2014-10-01

Currently one of the main challenges in CO2 storage research is to grant the development, testing and validation of accurate and efficient Measuring, Monitoring and Verification (MMV) techniques to be deployed at the final storage site, targeting maximum storage efficiency at the minimal leakage risk levels. For such task a mimetic sequestration site has been deployed in Florianopolis, Brazil, in order to verify the performance of monitoring plataforms to detect and quantify leakages of ground injected CO2, namely a Cavity Ring Down System (CRDS) - Los Gatos Research - an Eddy Covariance System (Campbell Scientific and Irgason) and meteorological tower for wind, humidity, precipitation and temperature monitoring onsite. The measurement strategy for detecting CO2 leakages can be very challenging since environmental and phytogenic influence can be very severe and play a role on determining if the values measured are unambiguous or not. One external factor to be considered is the amount of incoming solar radiation which will be the driving force for the whole experimental setup and following this reasoning the amount of aerosols in the atmospheric column can be a determinant factor influencing the experimental results. Thus the investigation of measured fluxes CO2 and its concentration with the aforementioned experimental instruments and their correlation with the aerosol data should be taken into account by means of satellite borne systems dedicated to measure aerosol vertical distribution and its optical properties, in this study we have selected CALIPSO and MODIS instrumentation to help on deriving the aerosol properties and CO2 measurements.

A new zenith-looking narrow-band radiometer-based system (ZEN) for dust aerosol optical depth monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Almansa, A. Fernando; Cuevas, Emilio; Torres, Benjamín; Barreto, África; García, Rosa D.; Cachorro, Victoria E.; de Frutos, Ángel M.; López, César; Ramos, Ramón

2017-02-01

A new zenith-looking narrow-band radiometer based system (ZEN), conceived for dust aerosol optical depth (AOD) monitoring, is presented in this paper. The ZEN system comprises a new radiometer (ZEN-R41) and a methodology for AOD retrieval (ZEN-LUT). ZEN-R41 has been designed to be stand alone and without moving parts, making it a low-cost and robust instrument with low maintenance, appropriate for deployment in remote and unpopulated desert areas. The ZEN-LUT method is based on the comparison of the measured zenith sky radiance (ZSR) with a look-up table (LUT) of computed ZSRs. The LUT is generated with the LibRadtran radiative transfer code. The sensitivity study proved that the ZEN-LUT method is appropriate for inferring AOD from ZSR measurements with an AOD standard uncertainty up to 0.06 for AOD500 nm ˜ 0.5 and up to 0.15 for AOD500 nm ˜ 1.0, considering instrumental errors of 5 %. The validation of the ZEN-LUT technique was performed using data from AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET) Cimel Electronique 318 photometers (CE318). A comparison between AOD obtained by applying the ZEN-LUT method on ZSRs (inferred from CE318 diffuse-sky measurements) and AOD provided by AERONET (derived from CE318 direct-sun measurements) was carried out at three sites characterized by a regular presence of desert mineral dust aerosols: Izaña and Santa Cruz in the Canary Islands and Tamanrasset in Algeria. The results show a coefficient of determination (R2) ranging from 0.99 to 0.97, and root mean square errors (RMSE) ranging from 0.010 at Izaña to 0.032 at Tamanrasset. The comparison of ZSR values from ZEN-R41 and the CE318 showed absolute relative mean bias (RMB) < 10 %. ZEN-R41 AOD values inferred from ZEN-LUT methodology were compared with AOD provided by AERONET, showing a fairly good agreement in all wavelengths, with mean absolute AOD differences < 0.030 and R2 higher than 0.97.

Setup and first airborne application of an aerosol optical properties package for the In-service Aircraft Global Observing System IAGOS.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bundke, Ulrich; Freedman, Andrew; Herber, Andreas; Mattis, Ina; Berg, Marcel; De Faira, Julia; Petzold, Andreas

2016-04-01

The atmospheric aerosol influences the climate twofold via the direct interaction with solar radiation and indirectly effecting microphysical properties of clouds. The latter has the largest uncertainty according to the last IPPC Report. A measured in situ climatology of the aerosol microphysical and optical properties is needed to reduce the reported uncertainty of the aerosol climate impact. The European Research Infrastructure IAGOS (In-service Aircraft for a Global Observing System; www.iagos.org) responds to the increasing requests for long-term, routine in situ observational data by using commercial passenger aircraft as measurement platform. However, scientific instrumentation for the measurement of atmospheric constituents requires major modifications before being deployable aboard in-service passenger aircraft. The prototype of the IAGOS Aerosol Package (IAGOS-P2E) consists of two modified CAPS (Cavity Attenuated Phase Shift) instruments from Aerodyne Research, Inc. and one optical particle counter (Model Grimm Sky OPC 1.129). The CAPS PMex monitor provides a measurement of the optical extinction (the sum of scattering and absorption) of an ambient sample of particles. There is a choice of 5 different wavelengths - blue (450 nm), green (530 nm), red (630 nm), far red (660 nm) and near infrared (780 nm) - which match the spectral bands of most other particle optical properties measurement equipment. In our prototype setup we used the instrument operating at 630nm wavelength (red). The second CAPS instrument we have chosen is the CAPS NO2 monitor. This instrument provides a direct absorption measurement of nitrogen dioxide in the blue region of the electromagnetic spectrum (450 nm). Unlike standard chemiluminescence-based monitors, the instrument requires no conversion of NO2 to another species and thus is not sensitive to other nitro-containing species. In the final IAGOS Setup, up to 4 CAPS might be used to get additional aerosol properties using the

Retrieval of Absorbing Aerosols Above Clouds retrieval over the South East Atlantic Ocean from MSG/SEVIRI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peers, F.; Haywood, J. M.; Francis, P. N.; Meyer, K.; Platnick, S. E.

2017-12-01

Over the South East Atlantic Ocean, biomass burning aerosols from Southern Africa are frequently observed above clouds during fire season. However, the quantification of their interactions with both radiations and clouds remains uncertain because of a lack of information on aerosol properties and on their interaction process. In the last decade, methods have been developed to retrieve aerosol optical properties above clouds from satellite measurements, especially over the South East Atlantic Ocean. Most of these methods have been applied to polar orbiting instruments which prevent the analysis of aerosols and clouds at a sub-daily scale. With its wide spatial coverage and its high temporal resolution, the geostationary instrument SEVIRI, on board the MSG platform, offers a unique opportunity to monitor aerosols in this region and to evaluate their impact on clouds and their radiative effects. In this study, we will investigate the possibility of retrieving simultaneously aerosol and cloud properties (i.e. aerosol and cloud optical thicknesses and cloud droplet effective radius) when aerosols are located above clouds. The retrieved properties will then be compared with the ones obtained from MODIS [Meyer et al., 2015] as well as observations from the CLARIFY-2017 field campaign.

Aerosol Climate Time Series in ESA Aerosol_cci

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popp, Thomas; de Leeuw, Gerrit; Pinnock, Simon

2016-04-01

Within the ESA Climate Change Initiative (CCI) Aerosol_cci (2010 - 2017) conducts intensive work to improve algorithms for the retrieval of aerosol information from European sensors. Meanwhile, full mission time series of 2 GCOS-required aerosol parameters are completely validated and released: Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) from dual view ATSR-2 / AATSR radiometers (3 algorithms, 1995 - 2012), and stratospheric extinction profiles from star occultation GOMOS spectrometer (2002 - 2012). Additionally, a 35-year multi-sensor time series of the qualitative Absorbing Aerosol Index (AAI) together with sensitivity information and an AAI model simulator is available. Complementary aerosol properties requested by GCOS are in a "round robin" phase, where various algorithms are inter-compared: fine mode AOD, mineral dust AOD (from the thermal IASI spectrometer, but also from ATSR instruments and the POLDER sensor), absorption information and aerosol layer height. As a quasi-reference for validation in few selected regions with sparse ground-based observations the multi-pixel GRASP algorithm for the POLDER instrument is used. Validation of first dataset versions (vs. AERONET, MAN) and inter-comparison to other satellite datasets (MODIS, MISR, SeaWIFS) proved the high quality of the available datasets comparable to other satellite retrievals and revealed needs for algorithm improvement (for example for higher AOD values) which were taken into account for a reprocessing. The datasets contain pixel level uncertainty estimates which were also validated and improved in the reprocessing. For the three ATSR algorithms the use of an ensemble method was tested. The paper will summarize and discuss the status of dataset reprocessing and validation. The focus will be on the ATSR, GOMOS and IASI datasets. Pixel level uncertainties validation will be summarized and discussed including unknown components and their potential usefulness and limitations. Opportunities for time series extension

Biomass burning and biogenic aerosols in northern Australia during the SAFIRED campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milic, Andelija; Mallet, Marc D.; Cravigan, Luke T.; Alroe, Joel; Ristovski, Zoran D.; Selleck, Paul; Lawson, Sarah J.; Ward, Jason; Desservettaz, Maximilien J.; Paton-Walsh, Clare; Williams, Leah R.; Keywood, Melita D.; Miljevic, Branka

2017-03-01

There is a lack of knowledge of how biomass burning aerosols in the tropics age, including those in the fire-prone Northern Territory in Australia. This paper reports chemical characterization of fresh and aged aerosols monitored during the 1-month-long SAFIRED (Savannah Fires in the Early Dry Season) field study, with an emphasis on the chemical signature and aging of organic aerosols. The campaign took place in June 2014 during the early dry season when the surface measurement site, the Australian Tropical Atmospheric Research Station (ATARS), located in the Northern Territory, was heavily influenced by thousands of wild and prescribed bushfires. ATARS was equipped with a wide suite of instrumentation for gaseous and aerosol characterization. A compact time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer was deployed to monitor aerosol chemical composition. Approximately 90 % of submicron non-refractory mass was composed of organic material. Ozone enhancement in biomass burning plumes indicated increased air mass photochemistry. The diversity in biomass burning emissions was illustrated through variability in chemical signature (e.g. wide range in f44, from 0.06 to 0.18) for five intense fire events. The background particulate loading was characterized using positive matrix factorization (PMF). A PMF-resolved BBOA (biomass burning organic aerosol) factor comprised 24 % of the submicron non-refractory organic aerosol mass, confirming the significance of fire sources. A dominant PMF factor, OOA (oxygenated organic aerosol), made up 47 % of the sampled aerosol, illustrating the importance of aerosol aging in the Northern Territory. Biogenic isoprene-derived organic aerosol factor was the third significant fraction of the background aerosol (28 %).

Status of the Multi-Angle SpectroRadiometer Instrument for EOS- AM1 and Its Application to Remote Sensing of Aerosols

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Diner, D. J.; Abdou, W. A.; Bruegge, C. J.; Conel, J. E.; Kahn, R. A.; Martonchik, J. V.; Paradise, S. R.; West, R. A.

1995-01-01

The Multi-Angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) is being developed at JPL for the AM1 spacecraft in the Earth Observing System (EOS) series. This paper reports on the progress of instrument fabrication and testing, and it discusses the strategy to use the instrument for studying tropospheric aerosols.

Development of absorbing aerosol index simulator based on TM5-M7

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Jiyunting; van Velthoven, Peter; Veefkind, Pepijn

2017-04-01

Aerosols alter the Earth's radiation budget directly by scattering and absorbing solar and thermal radiation, or indirectly by perturbing clouds formation and lifetime. These mechanisms offset the positive radiative forcing ascribed to greenhouse gases. In particular, absorbing aerosols such as black carbon and dust strongly enhance global warming. To quantify the impact of absorbing aerosol on global radiative forcing is challenging. In spite of wide spatial and temporal coverage space-borne instruments (we will use the Ozone Monitoring Instrument, OMI) are unable to derive complete information on aerosol distribution, composition, etc. The retrieval of aerosol optical properties also partly depends on additional information derived from other measurements or global atmospheric chemistry models. Common quantities of great interest presenting the amount of absorbing aerosol are AAOD (absorbing aerosol optical depth), the extinction due to absorption of aerosols under cloud free conditions; and AAI (absorbing aerosol index), a measure of aerosol absorption more directly derivable from UV band observations than AAOD. When comparing model simulations and satellite observations, resemblance is good in terms of the spatial distribution of both parameters. However, the quantitative discrepancy is considerable, indicating possible underestimates of simulated AAI by a factor of 2 to 3. Our research, hence, has started by evaluating to what extent aerosol models, such as our TM5-M7 model, represent the satellite measurements and by identifying the reasons for discrepancies. As a next step a transparent methodology for the comparison between model simulations and satellite observations is under development in the form of an AAI simulator based on TM5-M7.

Environmental Monitoring Instrumentation and Monitoring Techniques for Space Shuttle Launches.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-07-01

Monitoring Instrumentation 32 1. Chemiluminescence HCl 32 2. Passive Dosimeter 34 3. Piezoelectric Quartz Crystal Microbalance 34 iJ ,- r, T , .{ , , : , Z...Sensing for STS Launohes 44 IV. SUISIAiR AND CONCLUSIONS 45 V. IBCOIMXIONS 47 References 49 Appendix A - Dosimeter Tube Monitoring Results 52 B - TenaxR...Monitoring Results 6 3 Summary of GBOMET HCI Data for the Launches of STS-i through 8 STS-5 at KSC 4 Dosimeter Tube Inlet Configuration Comparison 14 5 pH

Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation in the Captive Aerosol Growth and Evolution (CAGE) Chambers during the Southern Oxidant and Aerosol Study (SOAS) in Centreville, AL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leong, Y.; Karakurt Cevik, B.; Hernandez, C.; Griffin, R. J.; Taylor, N.; Matus, J.; Collins, D. R.

2013-12-01

Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) represents a large portion of sub-micron particulate matter on a global scale. The composition of SOA and its formation processes are heavily influenced by anthropogenic and biogenic activity. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are emitted naturally from forests or from human activity serve as precursors to SOA formation. Biogenic SOA (BSOA) is formed from biogenic VOCs and is prevalent in forested regions like the Southeastern United States. The formation and enhancement of BSOA under anthropogenic influences such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and oxygen radicals are still not well understood. The lack of information on anthropogenic BSOA enhancement and the reversibility of SOA formation could explain the underprediction of SOA in current models. To address some of these gaps in knowledge, this study was conducted as part of the Southern Oxidant and Aerosol Study (SOAS) in Centreville, AL during the summer of 2013. SOA growth experiments were conducted in two Captive Aerosol Growth and Evolution (CAGE) outdoor chambers located at the SEARCH site. Ambient trace gas concentrations were maintained in these chambers using semi-permeable gas-exchange membranes, while studying the growth of injected monodisperse seed aerosol. The control chamber was operated under ambient conditions; the relative humidity and oxidant and NOx levels were perturbed in the second chamber. This design allows experiments to capture the natural BSOA formation processes in the southeastern atmosphere and to study the influence of anthropogenic activity on aerosol chemistry. Chamber experiments were periodically monitored with physical and chemical instrumentation including a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS), a cloud condensation nuclei counter (CCNC), a humidified tandem differential mobility analyzer (H-TDMA), and an Aerodyne high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS). The CAGE experiments focused on SOA

The role of cloud contamination, aerosol layer height and aerosol model in the assessment of the OMI near-UV retrievals over the ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gassó, Santiago; Torres, Omar

2016-07-01

Retrievals of aerosol optical depth (AOD) at 388 nm over the ocean from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) two-channel near-UV algorithm (OMAERUV) have been compared with independent AOD measurements. The analysis was carried out over the open ocean (OMI and MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) AOD comparisons) and over coastal and island sites (OMI and AERONET, the AErosol RObotic NETwork). Additionally, a research version of the retrieval algorithm (using MODIS and CALIOP (Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization) information as constraints) was utilized to evaluate the sensitivity of the retrieval to different assumed aerosol properties. Overall, the comparison resulted in differences (OMI minus independent measurements) within the expected levels of uncertainty for the OMI AOD retrievals (0.1 for AOD < 0.3, 30 % for AOD > 0.3). Using examples from case studies with outliers, the reasons that led to the observed differences were examined with specific purpose to determine whether they are related to instrument limitations (i.e., pixel size, calibration) or algorithm assumptions (such as aerosol shape, aerosol height). The analysis confirms that OMAERUV does an adequate job at rejecting cloudy scenes within the instrument's capabilities. There is a residual cloud contamination in OMI pixels with quality flag 0 (the best conditions for aerosol retrieval according to the algorithm), resulting in a bias towards high AODs in OMAERUV. This bias is more pronounced at low concentrations of absorbing aerosols (AOD 388 nm ˜ < 0.5). For higher aerosol loadings, the bias remains within OMI's AOD uncertainties. In pixels where OMAERUV assigned a dust aerosol model, a fraction of them (< 20 %) had retrieved AODs significantly lower than AERONET and MODIS AODs. In a case study, a detailed examination of the aerosol height from CALIOP and the AODs from MODIS, along with sensitivity tests, was carried out by varying the different assumed parameters in the

The Role of Cloud Contamination, Aerosol Layer Height and Aerosol Model in the Assessment of the OMI Near-UV Retrievals Over the Ocean

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gasso, Santiago; Torres, Omar

2016-01-01

Retrievals of aerosol optical depth (AOD) at 388 nm over the ocean from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) two-channel near-UV algorithm (OMAERUV) have been compared with independent AOD measurements. The analysis was carried out over the open ocean (OMI and MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) AOD comparisons) and over coastal and island sites (OMI and AERONET, the AErosol RObotic NETwork). Additionally, a research version of the retrieval algorithm (using MODIS and CALIOP (Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization) information as constraints) was utilized to evaluate the sensitivity of the retrieval to different assumed aerosol properties. Overall, the comparison resulted in differences (OMI minus independent measurements) within the expected levels of uncertainty for the OMI AOD retrievals (0.1 for AOD less than 0.3, 30% for AOD greater than 0.3). Using examples from case studies with outliers, the reasons that led to the observed differences were examined with specific purpose to determine whether they are related to instrument limitations (i.e., pixel size, calibration) or algorithm assumptions (such as aerosol shape, aerosol height). The analysis confirms that OMAERUV does an adequate job at rejecting cloudy scenes within the instrument's capabilities. There is a residual cloud contamination in OMI pixels with quality flag 0 (the best conditions for aerosol retrieval according to the algorithm), resulting in a bias towards high AODs in OMAERUV. This bias is more pronounced at low concentrations of absorbing aerosols (AOD 388 nm approximately less than 0.5). For higher aerosol loadings, the bias remains within OMI's AOD uncertainties. In pixels where OMAERUV assigned a dust aerosol model, a fraction of them (less than 20 %) had retrieved AODs significantly lower than AERONET and MODIS AODs. In a case study, a detailed examination of the aerosol height from CALIOP and the AODs from MODIS, along with sensitivity tests, was carried out by

Validation of SO2 Retrievals from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument over NE China

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krotkov, Nickolay A.; McClure, Brittany; Dickerson, Russell R.; Carn, Simon A.; Li, Can; Bhartia, Pawan K.; Yang, Kai; Krueger, Arlin J.; Li, Zhanqing; Levelt, Pieternel F.;

Instrumentation for Environmental Monitoring: Water, Volume 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California Univ., Berkeley. Lawrence Berkeley Lab.

This volume is one of a series discussing instrumentation for environmental monitoring. Each volume contains an overview of the basic problems, comparisons among the basic methods of sensing and detection, and notes that summarize the characteristics of presently available instruments and techniques. The text of this survey discusses the…

Retrieval of Aerosol Parameters from Continuous H24 Lidar-Ceilometer Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dionisi, D.; Barnaba, F.; Costabile, F.; Di Liberto, L.; Gobbi, G. P.; Wille, H.

2016-06-01

Ceilometer technology is increasingly applied to the monitoring and the characterization of tropospheric aerosols. In this work, a method to estimate some key aerosol parameters (extinction coefficient, surface area concentration and volume concentration) from ceilometer measurements is presented. A numerical model has been set up to derive a mean functional relationships between backscatter and the above mentioned parameters based on a large set of simulated aerosol optical properties. A good agreement was found between the modeled backscatter and extinction coefficients and the ones measured by the EARLINET Raman lidars. The developed methodology has then been applied to the measurements acquired by a prototype Polarization Lidar-Ceilometer (PLC). This PLC instrument was developed within the EC- LIFE+ project "DIAPASON" as an upgrade of the commercial, single-channel Jenoptik CHM15k system. The PLC run continuously (h24) close to Rome (Italy) for a whole year (2013-2014). Retrievals of the aerosol backscatter coefficient at 1064 nm and of the relevant aerosol properties were performed using the proposed methodology. This information, coupled to some key aerosol type identification made possible by the depolarization channel, allowed a year-round characterization of the aerosol field at this site. Examples are given to show how this technology coupled to appropriate data inversion methods is potentially useful in the operational monitoring of parameters of air quality and meteorological interest.

Intercomparison and closure calculations using measurements of aerosol species and optical properties during the Yosemite Aerosol Characterization Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malm, William C.; Day, Derek E.; Carrico, Christian; Kreidenweis, Sonia M.; Collett, Jeffrey L.; McMeeking, Gavin; Lee, Taehyoung; Carrillo, Jacqueline; Schichtel, Bret

2005-07-01

Physical and optical properties of inorganic aerosols have been extensively studied, but less is known about carbonaceous aerosols, especially as they relate to the non-urban settings such as our nation's national parks and wilderness areas. Therefore an aerosol characterization study was conceived and implemented at one national park that is highly impacted by carbonaceous aerosols, Yosemite. The primary objective of the study was to characterize the physical, chemical, and optical properties of a carbon-dominated aerosol, including the ratio of total organic matter weight to organic carbon, organic mass scattering efficiencies, and the hygroscopic characteristics of a carbon-laden ambient aerosol, while a secondary objective was to evaluate a variety of semi-continuous monitoring systems. Inorganic ions were characterized using 24-hour samples that were collected using the URG and Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) monitoring systems, the micro-orifice uniform deposit impactor (MOUDI) cascade impactor, as well as the semi-continuous particle-into-liquid sampler (PILS) technology. Likewise, carbonaceous material was collected over 24-hour periods using IMPROVE technology along with the thermal optical reflectance (TOR) analysis, while semi-continuous total carbon concentrations were measured using the Rupprecht and Patashnick (R&P) instrument. Dry aerosol number size distributions were measured using a differential mobility analyzer (DMA) and optical particle counter, scattering coefficients at near-ambient conditions were measured with nephelometers fitted with PM10 and PM2.5 inlets, and "dry" PM2.5 scattering was measured after passing ambient air through Perma Pure Nafion® dryers. In general, the 24-hour "bulk" measurements of various aerosol species compared more favorably with each other than with the semi-continuous data. Semi-continuous sulfate measurements correlated well with the 24-hour measurements, but were biased low by

The Cloud-Aerosol Transport System (CATS): a New Lidar for Aerosol and Cloud Profiling from the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Welton, Ellsworth J.; McGill, Matthew J.; Yorks, John E.; Hlavka, Dennis L.; Hart, William D.; Palm, Stephen P.; Colarco, Peter R.

2011-01-01

Spaceborne lidar profiling of aerosol and cloud layers has been successfully implemented during a number of prior missions, including LITE, ICESat, and CALIPSO. Each successive mission has added increased capability and further expanded the role of these unique measurements in wide variety of applications ranging from climate, to air quality, to special event monitoring (ie, volcanic plumes). Many researchers have come to rely on the availability of profile data from CALIPSO, especially data coincident with measurements from other A-Train sensors. The CALIOP lidar on CALIPSO continues to operate well as it enters its fifth year of operations. However, active instruments have more limited lifetimes than their passive counterparts, and we are faced with a potential gap in lidar profiling from space if the CALIOP lidar fails before a new mission is operational. The ATLID lidar on EarthCARE is not expected to launch until 2015 or later, and the lidar component of NASA's proposed Aerosols, Clouds, and Ecosystems (ACE) mission would not be until after 2020. Here we present a new aerosol and cloud lidar that was recently selected to provide profiling data from the International Space Station (ISS) starting in 2013. The Cloud-Aerosol Transport System (CATS) is a three wavelength (1064, 532, 355 nm) elastic backscatter lidar with HSRL capability at 532 nm. Depolarization measurements will be made at all wavelengths. The primary objective of CATS is to continue the CALIPSO aerosol and cloud profile data record, ideally with overlap between both missions and EarthCARE. In addition, the near real time data capability of the ISS will enable CATS to support operational applications such as air quality and special event monitoring. The HSRL channel will provide a demonstration of technology and a data testbed for direct extinction retrievals in support of ACE mission development. An overview of the instrument and mission will be provided, along with a summary of the science

Citizen-Enabled Aerosol Measurements for Satellites (CEAMS): A Network for High-Resolution Measurements of PM2.5 and Aerosol Optical Depth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pierce, J. R.; Volckens, J.; Ford, B.; Jathar, S.; Long, M.; Quinn, C.; Van Zyl, L.; Wendt, E.

2017-12-01

Atmospheric particulate matter with diameter smaller than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) is a pollutant that contributes to the development of human disease. Satellite-derived estimates of surface-level PM2.5 concentrations have the potential to contribute greatly to our understanding of how particulate matter affects health globally. However, these satellite-derived PM2.5 estimates are often uncertain due to a lack of information about the ratio of surface PM2.5 to aerosol optical depth (AOD), which is the primary aerosol retrieval made by satellite instruments. While modelling and statistical analyses have improved estimates of PM2.5:AOD, large uncertainties remain in situations of high PM2.5 exposure (such as urban areas and in wildfire-smoke plumes) where the health impacts of PM2.5 may be the greatest. Surface monitoring networks for co-incident PM2.5 and AOD measurements are extremely rare, even in the North America. To provide constraints for the PM2.5:AOD relationship, we have developed a relatively low-cost (<$1000) monitor for citizen use that provides sun-photometer AOD measurements and filter-based PM2.5 measurements. The instrument is solar-powered, lightweight (< 1kg), and operated wirelessly via smartphone application (iOS and Android). Sun photometry is performed across 4 discrete wavelengths that match those reported by the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET). Aerosol concentration is reported using both time-integrated filter mass (analyzed in an academic laboratory and reported as a 24-48hr average) and a continuous PM sensor within the instrument. Citizen scientists use the device to report daily AOD and PM2.5 measurements made in their backyards to a central server for data display and download. In this presentation, we provide an overview of (1) AOD and PM2.5 measurement calibration; (2) citizen recruiting and training efforts; and (3) results from our pilot citizen-science measurement campaign.

Aerosol loading impact on Asian monsoon precipitation patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biondi, Riccardo; Cagnazzo, Chiara; Costabile, Francesca; Cairo, Francesco

2017-04-01

Solar light absorption by aerosols such as black carbon and dust assume a key role in driving the precipitation patterns in the Indian subcontinent. The aerosols stack up against the foothills of the Himalayas in the pre-monsoon season and several studies have already demonstrated that this can cause precipitation anomalies during summer. Despite its great significance in climate change studies, the link between absorbing aerosols loading and precipitation patterns remains highly uncertain. The main challenge for this kind of studies is to find consistent and reliable datasets. Several aerosol time series are available from satellite and ground based instruments and some precipitation datasets from satellite sensors, but they all have different time/spatial resolution and they use different assumptions for estimating the parameter of interest. We have used the aerosol estimations from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), the Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR) and the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and validated them against the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) measurements in the Indian area. The precipitation has been analyzed by using the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) estimations and the Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications version 2 (MERRA-2). From our results it is evident the discrepancy between the aerosol loading on the area of interest from the OMI, AATSR, and MODIS, but even between 3 different algorithms applied to the MODIS data. This uncertainty does not allow to clearly distinguishing high aerosol loading years from low aerosol loading years except in a couple of cases where all the estimations agree. Similar issues are also present in the precipitation estimations from TRMM and MERRA-2. However, all the aerosol datasets agree in defining couples of consecutive years with a large gradient of aerosol loading. Based on this assumption we have compared the precipitation anomalies and

Development of a new aerosol monitoring system and its application in Fukushima nuclear accident related aerosol radioactivity measurement at the CTBT radionuclide station in Sidney of Canada.

PubMed

Zhang, Weihua; Bean, Marc; Benotto, Mike; Cheung, Jeff; Ungar, Kurt; Ahier, Brian

2011-12-01

A high volume aerosol sampler ("Grey Owl") has been designed and developed at the Radiation Protection Bureau, Health Canada. Its design guidance is based on the need for a low operational cost and reliable sampler to provide daily aerosol monitoring samples that can be used as reference samples for radiological studies. It has been developed to provide a constant air flow rate at low pressure drops (∼3 kPa for a day sampling) with variations of less than ±1% of the full scale flow rate. Its energy consumption is only about 1.5 kW for a filter sampling over 22,000 standard cubic meter of air. It has been demonstrated in this Fukushima nuclear accident related aerosol radioactivity monitoring study at Sidney station, B.C. that the sampler is robust and reliable. The results provided by the new monitoring system have been used to support decision-making in Canada during an emergency response. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Aerosol Lidar and MODIS Satellite Comparisons for Future Aerosol Loading Forecast

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeYoung, Russell; Szykman, James; Severance, Kurt; Chu, D. Allen; Rosen, Rebecca; Al-Saadi, Jassim

2006-01-01

Knowledge of the concentration and distribution of atmospheric aerosols using both airborne lidar and satellite instruments is a field of active research. An aircraft based aerosol lidar has been used to study the distribution of atmospheric aerosols in the California Central Valley and eastern US coast. Concurrently, satellite aerosol retrievals, from the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) instrument aboard the Terra and Aqua satellites, were take over the Central Valley. The MODIS Level 2 aerosol data product provides retrieved ambient aerosol optical properties (e.g., optical depth (AOD) and size distribution) globally over ocean and land at a spatial resolution of 10 km. The Central Valley topography was overlaid with MODIS AOD (5x5 sq km resolution) and the aerosol scattering vertical profiles from a lidar flight. Backward air parcel trajectories for the lidar data show that air from the Pacific and northern part of the Central Valley converge confining the aerosols to the lower valley region and below the mixed layer. Below an altitude of 1 km, the lidar aerosol and MODIS AOD exhibit good agreement. Both data sets indicate a high presence of aerosols near Bakersfield and the Tehachapi Mountains. These and other results to be presented indicate that the majority of the aerosols are below the mixed layer such that the MODIS AOD should correspond well with surface measurements. Lidar measurements will help interpret satellite AOD retrievals so that one day they can be used on a routine basis for prediction of boundary layer aerosol pollution events.

Development of Portable Aerosol Mobility Spectrometer for Personal and Mobile Aerosol Measurement

PubMed Central

Kulkarni, Pramod; Qi, Chaolong; Fukushima, Nobuhiko

2017-01-01

We describe development of a Portable Aerosol Mobility Spectrometer (PAMS) for size distribution measurement of submicrometer aerosol. The spectrometer is designed for use in personal or mobile aerosol characterization studies and measures approximately 22.5 × 22.5 × 15 cm and weighs about 4.5 kg including the battery. PAMS uses electrical mobility technique to measure number-weighted particle size distribution of aerosol in the 10–855 nm range. Aerosol particles are electrically charged using a dual-corona bipolar corona charger, followed by classification in a cylindrical miniature differential mobility analyzer. A condensation particle counter is used to detect and count particles. The mobility classifier was operated at an aerosol flow rate of 0.05 L/min, and at two different user-selectable sheath flows of 0.2 L/min (for wider size range 15–855 nm) and 0.4 L/min (for higher size resolution over the size range of 10.6–436 nm). The instrument was operated in voltage stepping mode to retrieve the size distribution, which took approximately 1–2 minutes, depending on the configuration. Sizing accuracy and resolution were probed and found to be within the 25% limit of NIOSH criterion for direct-reading instruments (NIOSH 2012). Comparison of size distribution measurements from PAMS and other commercial mobility spectrometers showed good agreement. The instrument offers unique measurement capability for on-person or mobile size distribution measurements of ultrafine and nanoparticle aerosol. PMID:28413241

Survey of instrumentation for environmental monitoring: major update. Volume 3. Radiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1979-09-01

This is the third volume of a four-volume (seven-part) series, the culmination of a comprehensive survey of instrumentation for environmental monitoring. Consideration is given to instruments and techniques presently in use and to those developed for other purposes but having possible applications to radiation monitoring. The results of the survey are given as descriptions of the physical and operating characteristics of available instruments, critical comparisons among instrumentation methods, and recommendations of promising methodology and development of new instrumentation. Information is also given regarding the pollutants to be monitored, their characteristics and forms, their sources and pathways, their effects on themore » ecosystem, and the means of controlling them through process and regulatory controls. The discussion is presented under sections entitled radiation sources; instrumentation: by type of radiation or instrument type; and, instrumentation for specific radionuclides. (JGB)« less

Monitoring of 2007 wildfires in GA and CA by GOES Aerosol/Smoke Product (ASP): Comparisons to MODIS and CALIPSO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, C.; Kondragunta, S.

2008-05-01

The purpose of this study is to understand the potential for using the GOES Aerosol/Smoke Product (GASP) to monitor wild fires over the United States. GASP AOD is retrieved using visible imagery from Geostationary Operational Environment Satellite (GOES) at 30 minute interval. This high temporal estimate of AOD provides significantly dense information of air quality in near real time. Hourly or daily animations of GASP aerosol optical depth for smoke plumes suggest that development and variation of wild fires can be determined by GASP. Also, the performances of GASP AOD are compared to other satellite data from MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectro- radiometers (MODIS) and Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO). The results reveal that GOES AOD has same level performance for monitoring wild fires as those of MODIS and CALIPSO. Therefore, we believe that the retrieval accuracy of GOES is adequate for monitoring larger outbreaks of aerosol events.

The Aerosol/Cloud/Ecosystems Mission (ACE)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schoeberl, Mark

2008-01-01

The goals and measurement strategy of the Aerosol/Cloud/Ecosystems Mission (ACE) are described. ACE will help to answer fundamental science questions associated with aerosols, clouds, air quality and global ocean ecosystems. Specifically, the goals of ACE are: 1) to quantify aerosol-cloud interactions and to assess the impact of aerosols on the hydrological cycle and 2) determine Ocean Carbon Cycling and other ocean biological processes. It is expected that ACE will: narrow the uncertainty in aerosol-cloud-precipitation interaction and quantify the role of aerosols in climate change; measure the ocean ecosystem changes and precisely quantify ocean carbon uptake; and, improve air quality forecasting by determining the height and type of aerosols being transported long distances. Overviews are provided of the aerosol-cloud community measurement strategy, aerosol and cloud observations over South Asia, and ocean biology research goals. Instruments used in the measurement strategy of the ACE mission are also highlighted, including: multi-beam lidar, multiwavelength high spectra resolution lidar, the ocean color instrument (ORCA)--a spectroradiometer for ocean remote sensing, dual frequency cloud radar and high- and low-frequency micron-wave radiometer. Future steps for the ACE mission include refining measurement requirements and carrying out additional instrument and payload studies.

Imaging spectrometers for atmosphere monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reinert, Thido; Bovensmann, Heinrich; Münzenmayer, Ralf; Weiss, Stefan; Posselt, Winfried

2017-11-01

Atmospheric monitoring missions aim at products like O3, H2O, NO2, SO2, BrO, CH4, CO, CO2 as well as aerosols and cloud information. Depending on the application area (Ozone Monitoring, Green House Gas Monitoring, Tropospheric Composition and Air Quality, Chemistry Climate Interaction etc.) total or tropospheric columns as well as profile information is required. The user community of these data as well as their central requirements w.r.t. the payload aspects will be described. A large range of relevant passive instrument types is available, in particular imaging spectrometer, sounder and polarisation measuring systems in the UV-VIS, SWIR and TIR spectral range. Differences between instruments for dedicated missions are highlighted and evolution of requirements is explained, also in comparison with relevant existing instrumentation partly in orbit today. Aspects of technology roadmaps for instrument implementation as well as synergetic effects of instrument combinations and according mission scopes are discussed.

Ultrasonic wave-based structural health monitoring embedded instrument.

PubMed

Aranguren, G; Monje, P M; Cokonaj, Valerijan; Barrera, Eduardo; Ruiz, Mariano

2013-12-01

Piezoelectric sensors and actuators are the bridge between electronic and mechanical systems in structures. This type of sensor is a key element in the integrity monitoring of aeronautic structures, bridges, pressure vessels, wind turbine blades, and gas pipelines. In this paper, an all-in-one system for Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) based on ultrasonic waves is presented, called Phased Array Monitoring for Enhanced Life Assessment. This integrated instrument is able to generate excitation signals that are sent through piezoelectric actuators, acquire the received signals in the piezoelectric sensors, and carry out signal processing to check the health of structures. To accomplish this task, the instrument uses a piezoelectric phased-array transducer that performs the actuation and sensing of the signals. The flexibility and strength of the instrument allow the user to develop and implement a substantial part of the SHM technique using Lamb waves. The entire system is controlled using configuration software and has been validated through functional, electrical loading, mechanical loading, and thermal loading resistance tests.

Determination of aerosol content in the atmosphere from ERTS-1 data. [San Diego, California and Salton Sea

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Griggs, M.; Ludwig, C. B.; Malkmus, W. (Principal Investigator)

1973-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Significant results, relating the radiance over water surfaces to the atmospheric aerosol content, have been obtained. The results indicate that the MSS channels 4, 5, and 6 centered at 0.55, 0.65, and 0.75 microns have comparable sensitivity, and that the aerosol content can be determined within + or - 10% with the assumed measurement errors of the MSS. The fourth channel, MSS 7, is not useful for aerosol determination due to the water radiance values from this channel generally being less than the instrument noise. The accuracy of the aerosol content measurement could be increased by using an instrument specifically designed for this purpose. This radiance-aerosol content relationship can possibly provide a basis for monitoring the atmospheric aerosol content on a global basis, allowing a base-line value of aerosols to be established. The contrast-aerosol content investigation shows useful linear relationships in MSS channels 4 and 5, allowing the aerosol content to be determined within + or - 10%. MSS 7 is not useful due to the low accuracy in the water radiance, and MSS 6 is found to be too insensitive. These results rely on several assumptions due to the lack of ground truth data, but do serve to indicate which channels are most useful.

Global Monitoring of Clouds and Aerosols Using a Network of Micro-Pulse Lidar Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Welton, Ellsworth J.; Campbell, James R.; Spinhirne, James D.; Scott, V. Stanley

2000-01-01

Long-term global radiation programs, such as AERONET and BSRN, have shown success in monitoring column averaged cloud and aerosol optical properties. Little attention has been focused on global measurements of vertically resolved optical properties. Lidar systems are the preferred instrument for such measurements. However, global usage of lidar systems has not been achieved because of limits imposed by older systems that were large, expensive, and logistically difficult to use in the field. Small, eye-safe, and autonomous lidar systems are now currently available and overcome problems associated with older systems. The first such lidar to be developed is the Micro-pulse lidar System (MPL). The MPL has proven to be useful in the field because it can be automated, runs continuously (day and night), is eye-safe, can easily be transported and set up, and has a small field-of-view which removes multiple scattering concerns. We have developed successful protocols to operate and calibrate MPL systems. We have also developed a data analysis algorithm that produces data products such as cloud and aerosol layer heights, optical depths, extinction profiles, and the extinction-backscatter ratio. The algorithm minimizes the use of a priori assumptions and also produces error bars for all data products. Here we present an overview of our MPL protocols and data analysis techniques. We also discuss the ongoing construction of a global MPL network in conjunction with the AERONET program. Finally, we present some early results from the MPL network.

Comparison of real-time instruments and gravimetric method when measuring particulate matter in a residential building.

PubMed

Wang, Zuocheng; Calderón, Leonardo; Patton, Allison P; Sorensen Allacci, MaryAnn; Senick, Jennifer; Wener, Richard; Andrews, Clinton J; Mainelis, Gediminas

2016-11-01

This study used several real-time and filter-based aerosol instruments to measure PM 2.5 levels in a high-rise residential green building in the Northeastern US and compared performance of those instruments. PM 2.5 24-hr average concentrations were determined using a Personal Modular Impactor (PMI) with 2.5 µm cut (SKC Inc., Eighty Four, PA) and a direct reading pDR-1500 (Thermo Scientific, Franklin, MA) as well as its filter. 1-hr average PM 2.5 concentrations were measured in the same apartments with an Aerotrak Optical Particle Counter (OPC) (model 8220, TSI, Inc., Shoreview, MN) and a DustTrak DRX mass monitor (model 8534, TSI, Inc., Shoreview, MN). OPC and DRX measurements were compared with concurrent 1-hr mass concentration from the pDR-1500. The pDR-1500 direct reading showed approximately 40% higher particle mass concentration compared to its own filter (n = 41), and 25% higher PM 2.5 mass concentration compared to the PMI 2.5 filter. The pDR-1500 direct reading and PMI 2.5 in non-smoking homes (self-reported) were not significantly different (n = 10, R 2 = 0.937), while the difference between measurements for smoking homes was 44% (n = 31, R 2 = 0.773). Both OPC and DRX data had substantial and significant systematic and proportional biases compared with pDR-1500 readings. However, these methods were highly correlated: R 2 = 0.936 for OPC versus pDR-1500 reading and R 2 = 0.863 for DRX versus pDR-1500 reading. The data suggest that accuracy of aerosol mass concentrations from direct-reading instruments in indoor environments depends on the instrument, and that correction factors can be used to reduce biases of these real-time monitors in residential green buildings with similar aerosol properties. This study used several real-time and filter-based aerosol instruments to measure PM 2.5 levels in a high-rise residential green building in the northeastern United States and compared performance of those instruments. The data show that while the use of real

New Satellite Project Aerosol-UA: Remote Sensing of Aerosols in the Terrestrial Atmosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Milinevsky, G.; Yatskiv, Ya.; Degtyaryov, O.; Syniavskyi, I.; Mishchenko, Michael I.; Rosenbush, V.; Ivanov, Yu.; Makarov, A.; Bovchaliuk, A.; Danylevsky, V.;

Laboratory and field measurements of organic aerosols with the photoionization aerosol mass spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dreyfus, Matthew A.

Analytical methods developed to sample and characterize ambient organic aerosols often face the trade-off between long sampling times and the loss of detailed information regarding specific chemical species present. The soft, universal ionization scheme of the Photoionization Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (PIAMS) allows for identification of various chemical compounds by a signature ion, often the molecular ion. The goal of this thesis work is to apply PIAMS to both laboratory and field experiments to answer questions regarding the formation, composition, and behavior of organic aerosols. To achieve this goal, a variety of hardware and software upgrades were administered to PIAMS to optimize the instrument. Data collection and processing software were either refined or built from the ground up to simplify difficult or monotonous tasks. Additional components were added to PIAMS with the intent to automate the instrument, enhance the results, and make the instrument more rugged and user-friendly. These changes, combined with the application of an external particle concentration system (mini-Versatile Aerosol Concentration Enrichment System, m-VACES), allowed PIAMS to be suitable for field measurements of organic aerosols. Two such field campaigns were completed, both at the State of Delaware Air Quality Monitoring Site in Wilmington, Delaware: a one week period in June, 2006, and an 18 day period in October and November of 2007. A sampling method developed was capable of collecting sufficient ambient organic aerosol and analyzing it with a time resolution of 3.5 minutes. Because of this method, short term concentration changes of individual species can be tracked. Combined with meteorological data, the behavior of these species can be analyzed as a function of time or wind direction. Many compounds are found at enhanced levels during the evening/night-time hours; potentially due to the combined effects of temperature inversion, and fresh emissions in a cooler environment

Interpreting the Ultraviolet Aerosol Index Observed with the OMI Satellite Instrument to Understand Absorption by Organic Aerosols: Implications for Atmospheric Oxidation and Direct Radiative Effects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hammer, Melanie S.; Martin, Randall V.; Donkelaar, Aaron van; Buchard, Virginie; Torres, Omar; Ridley, David A.; Spurr, Robert J. D.

2016-01-01

Satellite observations of the ultraviolet aerosol index (UVAI) are sensitive to absorption of solar radiation by aerosols; this absorption affects photolysis frequencies and radiative forcing. We develop a global simulation of the UVAI using the 3-D chemical transport model GEOSChem coupled with the Vector Linearized Discrete Ordinate Radiative Transfer model (VLIDORT). The simulation is applied to interpret UVAI observations from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) for the year 2007. Simulated and observed values are highly consistent in regions where mineral dust dominates the UVAI, but a large negative bias (-0.32 to -0.97) exists between simulated and observed values in biomass burning regions. We determine effective optical properties for absorbing organic aerosol, known as brown carbon (BrC), and implement them into GEOS-Chem to better represent observed UVAI values over biomass burning regions. The inclusion of absorbing BrC decreases the mean bias between simulated and OMI UVAI values from -0.57 to -0.09 over West Africa in January, from -0.32 to +0.0002 over South Asia in April, from -0.97 to -0.22 over southern Africa in July, and from -0.50 to +0.33 over South America in September. The spectral dependence of absorption after including BrC in the model is broadly consistent with reported observations for biomass burning aerosol, with absorbing Angstrom exponent (AAE) values ranging from 2.9 in the ultraviolet (UV) to 1.3 across the UV-Near IR spectrum. We assess the effect of the additional UV absorption by BrC on atmospheric photochemistry by examining tropospheric hydroxyl radical (OH) concentrations in GEOS-Chem. The inclusion of BrC decreases OH by up to 30% over South America in September, up to 20% over southern Africa in July, and up to 15% over other biomass burning regions. Global annual mean OH concentrations in GEOS-Chem decrease due to the presence of absorbing BrC, increasing the methyl chloroform lifetime from 5.62 to 5.68 years, thus

Comparison of Satellite Observations of Aerosol Optical Depth to Surface Monitor Fine Particle Concentration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kleb, Mary M.; AlSaadi, Jassim A.; Neil, Doreen O.; Pierce, Robert B.; Pippin, Margartet R.; Roell, Marilee M.; Kittaka, Chieko; Szykman, James J.

2004-01-01

Under NASA's Earth Science Applications Program, the Infusing satellite Data into Environmental Applications (IDEA) project examined the relationship between satellite observations and surface monitors of air pollutants to facilitate a more capable and integrated observing network. This report provides a comparison of satellite aerosol optical depth to surface monitor fine particle concentration observations for the month of September 2003 at more than 300 individual locations in the continental US. During September 2003, IDEA provided prototype, near real-time data-fusion products to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) directed toward improving the accuracy of EPA s next-day Air Quality Index (AQI) forecasts. Researchers from NASA Langley Research Center and EPA used data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument combined with EPA ground network data to create a NASA-data-enhanced Forecast Tool. Air quality forecasters used this tool to prepare their forecasts of particle pollution, or particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5), for the next-day AQI. The archived data provide a rich resource for further studies and analysis. The IDEA project uses data sets and models developed for tropospheric chemistry research to assist federal, state, and local agencies in making decisions concerning air quality management to protect public health.

Generating monodisperse pharmacological aerosols using the spinning-top aerosol generator.

PubMed

Biddiscombe, Martyn F; Barnes, Peter J; Usmani, Omar S

2006-01-01

Pharmacological aerosols of precisely controlled particle size and narrow dispersity can be generated using the spinning-top aerosol generator (STAG). The ability of the STAG to generate monodisperse aerosols from solutions of raw drug compounds makes it a valuable research instrument. In this paper, the versatility of this instrument has been further demonstrated by aerosolizing a range of commercially available nebulized pulmonary therapy preparations. Nebules of Flixotide (fluticasone propionate), Pulmicort (budesonide), Combivent (salbutamol sulphate and ipratropium bromide), Bricanyl (terbutaline sulphate), Atrovent(ipratropium bromide), and Salamol (salbutamol sulphate) were each mixed with ethanol and delivered to the STAG. Monodisperse drug aerosol distributions were generated with MMADs of 0.95-6.7 microm. To achieve larger particle sizes from the nebulizer drug suspensions, the STAG formed compound particle agglomerates derived from the smaller insoluble drug particles. These compound agglomerates behaved aerodynamically as a single particle, and this was verified using an aerodynamic particle sizer and an Andersen Cascade Impactor. Scanning electron microscope images demonstrated their physical structure. On the other hand using the nebulizer drug solutions, spherical particles proportional to the original droplet diameter were generated. The aerosols generated by the STAG can allow investigators to study the scientific principles of inhaled drug deposition and lung physiology for a range of therapeutic agents.

Effect of Aerosols on Surface Radiation and Air Quality in the Central American Region Estimated Using Satellite UV Instruments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhartia, P. K.; Torres, O.; Krotkov, N. A.

2007-05-01

Solar radiation reaching the Earth's surface is reduced by both aerosol scattering and aerosol absorption. Over many parts of the world the latter effect can be as large or larger than the former effect, and small changes in the aerosol single scattering albedo can either cancel the former effect or enhance it. In addition, absorbing aerosols embedded in clouds can greatly reduce the amount of radiation reaching the surface by multiple scattering. Though the potential climatic effects of absorbing aerosols have received considerable attention lately, their effect on surface UV, photosynthesis, and photochemistry can be equally important for our environment and may affect human health and agricultural productivity. Absorption of all aerosols commonly found in the Earth's atmosphere becomes larger in the UV and blue wavelengths and has a relatively strong wavelength dependence. This is particularly true of mineral dust and organic aerosols. However, these effects have been very difficult to estimate on a global basis since the satellite instruments that operate in the visible are primarily sensitive to aerosol scattering. A notable exception is the UV Aerosol Index (AI), first produced using NASA's Nimbus-7 TOMS data. AI provides a direct measure of the effect of aerosol absorption on the backscattered UV radiation in both clear and cloudy conditions, as well as over snow/ice. Although many types of aerosols produce a distinct color cast in the visible images, and aerosols absorption over clouds and snow/ice could, in principle be detected from their color, so far this technique has worked well only in the UV. In this talk we will discuss what we have learned from the long-term record of AI produced from TOMS and Aura/OMI about the possible role of aerosols on surface radiation and air quality in the Central American region.

During air cool process aerosol absorption detection with photothermal interferometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Baosheng; Xu, Limei; Huang, Junling; Ma, Fei; Wang, Yicheng; Li, Zhengqiang

2014-11-01

This paper studies the basic principle of laser photothermal interferometry method of aerosol particles absorption coefficient. The photothermal interferometry method with higher accuracy and lower uncertainty can directly measure the absorption coefficient of atmospheric aerosols and not be affected by scattered light. With Jones matrix expression, the math expression of a special polarization interferometer is described. This paper using folded Jamin interferometer, which overcomes the influence of vibration on measuring system. Interference come from light polarization beam with two orthogonal and then combine to one beam, finally aerosol absorption induced refractive index changes can be gotten with four beam of phase orthogonal light. These kinds of styles really improve the stability of system and resolution of the system. Four-channel detections interact with interference fringes, to reduce the light intensity `zero drift' effect on the system. In the laboratory, this device typical aerosol absorption index, it shows that the result completely agrees with actual value. After heated by laser, cool process of air also show the process of aerosol absorption. This kind of instrument will be used to monitor ambient aerosol absorption and suspended particulate matter chemical component. Keywords: Aerosol absorption coefficient; Photothermal interferometry; Suspended particulate matter.

A novel ultrasonic aerosol generator.

PubMed

Davies, A; Hudson, N; Pirie, L

1995-07-01

An ultrasonic aerosol generator constructed from a domestic humidifier is described which has been used to produce liquid aerosols for physiological investigations. The instrument was constructed from a Pifco domestic humidifier modified to include an energy guide to direct the oscillations of the transducer through the coupling water, which would normally be aerosolized, onto a small membrane based sample chamber containing the liquid to be aerosolized. The size distribution of the aerosol produced was found to be between 2 and 6 mm, optimum for diffuse intrapulmonary deposition. Up to 4 ml/min of aqueous liquid was used; however the sample chamber could be made small enough to contain economic amounts of expensive material to administer by inhalation. The instrument has proved to be reliable over a period of three years.

A continuous sampler with background suppression for monitoring alpha-emitting aerosol particles.

PubMed

McFarland, A R; Rodgers, J C; Ortiz, C A; Moore, M E

1992-05-01

A continuous air monitor has been developed that includes provisions for improving the detection of alpha-emitting aerosol particles in the presence of radon/thoron progeny that are unattached to ambient aerosol particles. Wind tunnel tests show that 80% of 10-microns aerodynamic equivalent diameter particles penetrate the flow system from the ambient air to the collection filter when the flow rate is 57 L min-1 (2 cfm) and the wind speed is 1 m s-1. Uniformity of aerosol collection on the filter, as characterized by the coefficient of variation of the areal density deposits, is less than 15% for 10-microns aerodynamic-equivalent-diameter aerosol particles. Tests with unattached radon daughters in a flow-through chamber showed that approximately 99% of the 218Po was removed by an inlet screen that is designed to collect radon daughters that are in the size range of molecular clusters. The inlet screen offers the opportunity to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of energy spectra in the regions of interest (subranges of the energy spectrum) of transuranic elements and thereby enhance the performance of background compensation algorithms.

Siberian lidar station: instruments and results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matvienko, Gennadii G.; Balin, Yurii S.; Bobrovnikov, Sergey M.; Romanovskii, Oleg A.; Kokhanenko, Grigirii P.; Samoilova, Svetlana V.; Penner, Ioganes E.; Gorlov, Evgenii V.; Zharkov, Victir I.; Sadovnikov, Sergey A.; Yakovlev, Semen V.; Bazhenov, Oleg E.; Dolgii, Sergey I.; Makeev, Andrey P.; Nevzorov, Alexey A.; Nevzorov, Alexey V.; Kharchenko, Olga V.

2018-04-01

The Siberian Lidar Station created at V.E. Zuev Institute of Atmospheric Optics and operating in Tomsk (56.5° N, 85.0° E) is a unique atmospheric observatory. It combines up-to-date instruments for remote laser and passive sounding for the study of aerosol and cloud fields, air temperature and humidity, and ozone and gaseous components of the ozone cycles. In addition to controlling a wide range of atmospheric parameters, the observatory allows simultaneous monitoring of the atmosphere throughout the valuable altitude range 0-75 km. In this paper, the instruments and results received at the Station are described.

Aerosol characterizaton in El Paso-Juarez airshed using optical methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esparza, Angel Eduardo

2011-12-01

The assessment and characterization of atmospheric aerosols and their optical properties are of great significance for several applications such as air pollution studies, atmospheric visibility, remote sensing of the atmosphere, and impacts on climate change. Decades ago, the interest in atmospheric aerosols was primarily for visibility impairment problems; however, recently interest has intensified with efforts to quantify the optical properties of aerosols, especially because of the uncertainties surrounding the role of aerosols in climate change. The main objective of the optical characterization of aerosols is to understand their properties. These properties are determined by the aerosols' chemical composition, size, shape and concentration. The general purpose of this research was to contribute to a better characterization of the aerosols present in the Paso del Norte Basin. This study permits an alternative approach in the understanding of air pollution for this zone by analyzing the predominant components and their contributions to the local environment. This dissertation work had three primary objectives, in which all three are intertwined by the general purpose of the aerosol characterization in the Paso del Norte region. The first objective was to retrieve the columnar aerosol size distribution for two different cases (clean and polluted scenarios) at each season (spring, summer, fall and winter) of the year 2009. In this project, instruments placed in buildings within the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) as well as a monitoring site (CAMS 12) from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) provided the measurements that delimited the aerosol size distribution calculated by our model, the Environmental Physics Inverse Reconstruction (EPIRM) model. The purpose of this objective was to provide an alternate method of quantifying and size-allocating aerosols in situ, by using the optical properties of the aerosols and inversely reconstruct and

Cloud and aerosol polarimetric imager

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Junqiang; Shao, Jianbing; Yan, Changxiang

2014-02-01

Cloud and Aerosol Polarimetric Imager (CAPI), which is the first onboard cloud and aerosol Polarimetric detector of CHINA, is developed to get cloud and aerosol data of atmosphere to retrieve aerosol optical and microphysical properties to increase the reversion precision of greenhouse gasses (GHGs). The instrument is neither a Polarization and Direction of Earth's Reflectance (POLDER) nor a Directional Polarimetric Camera (DPC) type polarized camera. It is a multispectral push broom system using linear detectors, and can get 5 bands spectral data, from ultraviolet (UV) to SWIR, of the same ground feature at the same time without any moving structure. This paper describes the CAPI instrument characteristics, composition, calibration, and the nearest development.

Ground level and Lidar monitoring of volcanic dust and dust from Patagonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Otero, L. A.; Losno, R.; Salvador, J. O.; Journet, E.; Qu, Z.; Triquet, S.; Monna, F.; Balkanski, Y.; Bulnes, D.; Ristori, P. R.; Quel, E. J.

2013-05-01

A combined approach including ground level aerosol sampling, lidar and sunphotometer measurements is used to monitor suspended particles in the atmosphere at several sites in Patagonia. Motivated by the Puyehue volcanic eruption in June 2011 two aerosol monitoring stations with several passive and active instruments were installed in Bariloche and Comodoro Rivadavia. The main goal which is to monitor ground lifted and transported ashes and dust involving danger to civil aviation, is achieved by measuring continuously aerosol concentration at ground level and aerosol vertical distribution using lidar. In addition, starting from December 2011, continuous series of weekly accumulated aerosol concentrations at Rio Gallegos are being measured to study the impact of Patagonian dust over the open ocean on phytoplankton primary productivity and CO2 removal. These measurements are going to be coupled with LIDAR monitoring and a dust optical response models to test if aerosol extrapolation can be done from the ground to the top of the layer. Laboratory chemical analysis of the aerosols will include elemental composition, solubilisation kinetic and mineralogical determination. Expected deliverables for this study is the estimation of the amount of dust exported from Patagonia towards the South Atlantic, its chemical properties, including bioavailability simulation, from model and comparison to experimental measurements.

Generation and characterization of biological aerosols for laser measurements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cheng, Yung-Sung; Barr, E.B.

1995-12-01

Concerns for proliferation of biological weapons including bacteria, fungi, and viruses have prompted research and development on methods for the rapid detection of biological aerosols in the field. Real-time instruments that can distinguish biological aerosols from background dust would be especially useful. Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) is developing a laser-based, real-time instrument for rapid detection of biological aerosols, and ITRI is working with SNL scientists and engineers to evaluate this technology for a wide range of biological aerosols. This paper describes methods being used to generate the characterize the biological aerosols for these tests. In summary, a biosafe system hasmore » been developed for generating and characterizing biological aerosols and using those aerosols to test the SNL laser-based real-time instrument. Such tests are essential in studying methods for rapid detection of airborne biological materials.« less

Remote sensing of atmospheric aerosols with the SPEX spectropolarimeter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Harten, G.; Rietjens, J.; Smit, M.; Snik, F.; Keller, C. U.; di Noia, A.; Hasekamp, O.; Vonk, J.; Volten, H.

2013-12-01

properties, including aerosol optical thickness, single scattering albedo, size distribution and complex refractive index, will be compared with the on-site AERONET sun-photometer, lidar, particle counter and sizer, and PM10 and PM2.5 monitoring instruments. Retrievals of the aerosol layer height based on polarization measurements in the O2A absorption band will be compared with lidar profiles. Furthermore, the possibility of enhancing the retrieval accuracy by replacing the look-up table with a neural network based initial guess will be discussed, using retrievals from simulated ground-based data.

ISSARS Aerosol Database : an Incorporation of Atmospheric Particles into a Universal Tool to Simulate Remote Sensing Instruments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goetz, Michael B.

2011-01-01

The Instrument Simulator Suite for Atmospheric Remote Sensing (ISSARS) entered its third and final year of development with an overall goal of providing a unified tool to simulate active and passive space borne atmospheric remote sensing instruments. These simulations focus on the atmosphere ranging from UV to microwaves. ISSARS handles all assumptions and uses various models on scattering and microphysics to fill the gaps left unspecified by the atmospheric models to create each instrument's measurements. This will help benefit mission design and reduce mission cost, create efficient implementation of multi-instrument/platform Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSE), and improve existing models as well as new advanced models in development. In this effort, various aerosol particles are incorporated into the system, and a simulation of input wavelength and spectral refractive indices related to each spherical test particle(s) generate its scattering properties and phase functions. These atmospheric particles being integrated into the system comprise the ones observed by the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer(MISR) and by the Multiangle SpectroPolarimetric Imager(MSPI). In addition, a complex scattering database generated by Prof. Ping Yang (Texas A&M) is also incorporated into this aerosol database. Future development with a radiative transfer code will generate a series of results that can be validated with results obtained by the MISR and MSPI instruments; nevertheless, test cases are simulated to determine the validity of various plugin libraries used to determine or gather the scattering properties of particles studied by MISR and MSPI, or within the Single-scattering properties of tri-axial ellipsoidal mineral dust particles database created by Prof. Ping Yang.

Demolition and removal of radioactively contaminated concrete soil: Aerosol control and monitoring

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Newton, G.J.; Hoover, M.D.; Grace, A.C. III

1995-12-01

From 1963 to 1985, two concrete-lined ponds were used to reduce the volume of radioactive liquids from the Institute`s research programs. Following withdrawal of the {open_quotes}hot ponds{close_quotes} from active use, the residual sludges and plastic liners of the ponds were removed and shipped to a radioactive waste disposal site. From 1987 to 1994, the concrete structures remained undisturbed pending environmental restoration on the site. Restoration began in 1994 and was completed in 1995. Restoration involved mechanical breakup and removal of the concrete structures and removal of areas of contaminated soils from the site. This report describes the design and resultsmore » of the aerosol control and monitoring program that was conducted to ensure protection of workers and the environment during the restoration process. The aerosol control and monitoring strategy developed for remediation of the ITRI hot ponds was successful both in preventing dispersion of radioactive dusts and in demonstrating that exposures of workers and offsite releases were within statutory limits.« less

In-Flight Performance of the Ozone Monitoring Instrument

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schenkeveld, V.M. Erik; Jaross, Glen; Marchenko, Sergey; Haffner, David; Kleipool, Quintus L.; Rozemeijer, Nico C.; Veefkind, J. Pepijn; Levelt, Pieternel F.

2017-01-01

The Dutch-Finnish Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) is an imaging spectrograph flying on NASA's EOS Aura satellite since 15 July 2004. OMI is primarily used to map trace-gas concentrations in the Earth's atmosphere, obtaining mid-resolution (0.4-0.6 nm) ultraviolet-visible (UV- VIS; 264-504 nm) spectra at multiple (30-60) simultaneous fields of view. Assessed via various approaches that include monitoring of radiances from selected ocean, land ice and cloud areas, as well as measurements of line profiles in the solar spectra, the instrument shows low optical degradation and high wavelength stability over the mission lifetime. In the regions relatively free from the slowly unraveling "row anomaly" (RA) the OMI irradiances have degraded by 3- 8 %, while radiances have changed by 1-2 %. The long-term wavelength calibration of the instrument remains stable to 0.005-0.020 nm.

Aerosol Climate Time Series Evaluation In ESA Aerosol_cci

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popp, T.; de Leeuw, G.; Pinnock, S.

2015-12-01

Within the ESA Climate Change Initiative (CCI) Aerosol_cci (2010 - 2017) conducts intensive work to improve algorithms for the retrieval of aerosol information from European sensors. By the end of 2015 full mission time series of 2 GCOS-required aerosol parameters are completely validated and released: Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) from dual view ATSR-2 / AATSR radiometers (3 algorithms, 1995 - 2012), and stratospheric extinction profiles from star occultation GOMOS spectrometer (2002 - 2012). Additionally, a 35-year multi-sensor time series of the qualitative Absorbing Aerosol Index (AAI) together with sensitivity information and an AAI model simulator is available. Complementary aerosol properties requested by GCOS are in a "round robin" phase, where various algorithms are inter-compared: fine mode AOD, mineral dust AOD (from the thermal IASI spectrometer), absorption information and aerosol layer height. As a quasi-reference for validation in few selected regions with sparse ground-based observations the multi-pixel GRASP algorithm for the POLDER instrument is used. Validation of first dataset versions (vs. AERONET, MAN) and inter-comparison to other satellite datasets (MODIS, MISR, SeaWIFS) proved the high quality of the available datasets comparable to other satellite retrievals and revealed needs for algorithm improvement (for example for higher AOD values) which were taken into account for a reprocessing. The datasets contain pixel level uncertainty estimates which are also validated. The paper will summarize and discuss the results of major reprocessing and validation conducted in 2015. The focus will be on the ATSR, GOMOS and IASI datasets. Pixel level uncertainties validation will be summarized and discussed including unknown components and their potential usefulness and limitations. Opportunities for time series extension with successor instruments of the Sentinel family will be described and the complementarity of the different satellite aerosol products

Global sensing of gaseous and aerosol trace species using automated instrumentation on 747 airliners

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perkins, P. J.; Papathakos, L. C.

1977-01-01

The Global Atmospheric Sampling Program (GASP) by NASA is collecting and analyzing data on gaseous and aerosol trace species in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. Measurements are obtained from automated systems installed on four 747 airliners flying global air routes. Advances were made in airborne sampling instrumentation. Improved instruments and analysis techniques are providing an expanding data base for trace species including ozone, carbon monoxide, water vapor, condensation nuclei and mass concentrations of sulfates and nitrates. Simultaneous measurements of several trace species obtained frequently can be used to uniquely identify the source of the air mass as being typically tropospheric or stratospheric. A quantitative understanding of the tropospheric-stratospheric exchange processes leads to better knowledge of the atmospheric impact of pollution through the development of improved simulation models of the atmosphere.

18 CFR 12.41 - Monitoring instruments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Monitoring instruments. 12.41 Section 12.41 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY REGULATIONS UNDER THE FEDERAL POWER ACT SAFETY OF WATER POWER PROJECTS AND PROJECT WORKS...

18 CFR 12.41 - Monitoring instruments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Monitoring instruments. 12.41 Section 12.41 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY REGULATIONS UNDER THE FEDERAL POWER ACT SAFETY OF WATER POWER PROJECTS AND PROJECT WORKS...

Aerosol column absorption measurements using co-located UV-MFRSR and AERONET CIMEL instruments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krotkov, N.; Labow, G.; Herman, J.; Slusser, J.; Tree, R.; Janson, G.; Durham, B.; Eck, T.; Holben, B.

2009-08-01

Column aerosol absorption properties in the visible wavelengths are measured routinely in worldwide locations by NASA AERONET network (http://aeronet.gsfc.nasa.gov), while similar optical properties in UV can be derived from diffuse and global irradiance measurements measured with Multifilter Rotating Shadowband Radiometer (MFRSR) instruments of the USDA UV-MFRSR network (http://uvb.nrel.colostate.edu). To enable direct comparisons between the two techniques, we have modified our UV-MFRSR by replacing standard 300nm filter with 440nm filter used in AERONET network. The modified UV/VIS-MFRSR has been mostly deployed at AERONET calibration site at NASA GSFC in Greenbelt, MD, but also at number of field campaigns. While the UV-MSFRSR instrument is highly susceptible to calibration drifts, these drifts can be accurately assessed using co-located AERONET direct-sun AOT data. In 2006 quartz dome has been installed atop the MFRSR diffuser, which stabilized calibration drifts in 2007-2009. After correcting for remaining calibration changes, the AOT and single scattering albedo (SSA) at the UV wavelengths can be accurately inferred by fitting the measurements of global and diffuse atmospheric transmittances with the forward RT model at each UV-MFRSR spectral channel. Derived AOT and SSA at common wavelength 440nm by two different techniques are generally in good agreement. We also found that SSA becomes smaller in the UV wavelengths and has strong wavelength dependence across blue and near-UV spectral range. The measured enhanced UV absorption might suggest the presence of selectively UV absorbing aerosols. High spectral resolution SSA measurements in UV-VIS wavelengths are called for.

A Comparison of Aerosol Optical Property Measurements Made During the DOE Aerosol Intensive Operating Period and Their Effects on Regional Climate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strawa, Anthony W.; Hallar, A. G.; Arnott, W. P.; Covert, D.; Elleman, R.; Ogren, J.; Schmid, B.; Luu, A.

2004-01-01

The amount of radiant energy an aerosol absorbs has profound effects on climate and air quality. It is ironic that aerosol absorption coefficient is one of the most difficult to measure aerosol properties. One of the main purposes of the DOE Aerosol Intensive Operating Period (IOP) flown in May, 2003 was to assess our ability to measure absorption coefficient in situ. This paper compares measurements of aerosol optical properties made during the IOP. Measurements of aerosol absorption coefficient were made by Particle Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP) aboard the CIRPAS Twin-Otter (U. Washington) and on the DOE Cessna 172 (NOAA-C,MDL). Aerosol absorption coefficient was also measured by a photoacoustic instrument (DRI) that was operated on an aircraft for the first time during the IOP. A new cavity ring-down (CRD) instrument, called Cadenza (NASA-AkC), measures the aerosol extinction coefficient for 675 nm and 1550 nm light, and simultaneously measures the scattering coefficient at 675 nm. Absorption coefficient is obtained from the difference of measured extinction and scattering within the instrument. Measurements of absorption coefficient from all of these instruments during appropriate periods are compared. During the IOP, several significant aerosol layers were sampled aloft. These layers are identified in the remote (AATS-14) as well as in situ measurements. Extinction profiles measured by Cadenza are compared to those derived from the Ames Airborne Tracking Sunphotometer (AATS-14, NASA-ARC). The regional radiative impact of these layers is assessed by using the measured aerosol optical properties in a radiative transfer model.

Improved effectiveness of performance monitoring in amateur instrumental musicians☆

PubMed Central

Jentzsch, Ines; Mkrtchian, Anahit; Kansal, Nayantara

2014-01-01

Here we report a cross-sectional study investigating the influence of instrumental music practice on the ability to monitor for and respond to processing conflicts and performance errors. Behavioural and electrophysiological indicators of response monitoring in amateur musicians with various skill levels were collected using simple conflict tasks. The results show that instrumental musicians are better able than non-musicians to detect conflicts and errors as indicated by systematic increases in the amplitude of the error-related negativity and the N200 with increasing levels of instrumental practice. Also, high levels of musical training were associated with more efficient and less reactive responses after experience of conflicts and errors as indicated by reduced post-error interference and post-conflict processing adjustments. Together, the present findings suggest that playing a musical instrument might improve the ability to monitor our behavior and adjust our responses effectively when needed. As these processes are amongst the first to be affected by cognitive aging, our evidence could promote musical activity as a realistic intervention to slow or even prevent age-related decline in frontal cortex mediated executive functioning. PMID:24056298

Inverse atmospheric radiative transfer problems - A nonlinear minimization search method of solution. [aerosol pollution monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fymat, A. L.

1976-01-01

The paper studies the inversion of the radiative transfer equation describing the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with atmospheric aerosols. The interaction can be considered as the propagation in the aerosol medium of two light beams: the direct beam in the line-of-sight attenuated by absorption and scattering, and the diffuse beam arising from scattering into the viewing direction, which propagates more or less in random fashion. The latter beam has single scattering and multiple scattering contributions. In the former case and for single scattering, the problem is reducible to first-kind Fredholm equations, while for multiple scattering it is necessary to invert partial integrodifferential equations. A nonlinear minimization search method, applicable to the solution of both types of problems has been developed, and is applied here to the problem of monitoring aerosol pollution, namely the complex refractive index and size distribution of aerosol particles.

Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols (MAIA) Investigation of Airborne Particle Health Impacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diner, D. J.

2016-12-01

Airborne particulate matter (PM) is a well-known cause of heart disease, cardiovascular and respiratory illness, low birth weight, and lung cancer. The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study ranks PM as a major environmental risk factor worldwide. Global maps of PM2.5concentrations derived from satellite instruments, including MISR and MODIS, have provided key contributions to the GBD and many other health-related investigations. Although it is well established that PM exposure increases the risks of mortality and morbidity, our understanding of the relative toxicity of specific PM types is relatively poor. To address this, the Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols (MAIA) investigation was proposed to NASA's third Earth Venture Instrument (EVI-3) solicitation. The satellite instrument that is part of the investigation is a multiangle, multispectral, and polarimetric camera system based on the first and second generation Airborne Multiangle SpectroPolarimetric Imagers, AirMSPI and AirMSPI-2. MAIA was selected for funding in March 2016. Estimates of the abundances of different aerosol types from the WRF-Chem model will be combined with MAIA instrument data. Geostatistical models derived from collocated surface and MAIA retrievals will then be used to relate retrieved fractional column aerosol optical depths to near-surface concentrations of major PM constituents, including sulfate, nitrate, organic carbon, black carbon, and dust. Epidemiological analyses of geocoded birth, death, and hospital records will be used to associate exposure to PM types with adverse health outcomes. MAIA launch is planned for early in the next decade. The MAIA instrument incorporates a pair of cameras on a two-axis gimbal to provide regional multiangle observations of selected, globally distributed target areas. Primary Target Areas (PTAs) on five continents are chosen to include major population centers covering a range of PM concentrations and particle types, surface-based aerosol sunphotometers

Assessing hospitals' clinical risk management: Development of a monitoring instrument

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Clinical risk management (CRM) plays a crucial role in enabling hospitals to identify, contain, and manage risks related to patient safety. So far, no instruments are available to measure and monitor the level of implementation of CRM. Therefore, our objective was to develop an instrument for assessing CRM in hospitals. Methods The instrument was developed based on a literature review, which identified key elements of CRM. These elements were then discussed with a panel of patient safety experts. A theoretical model was used to describe the level to which CRM elements have been implemented within the organization. Interviews with CRM practitioners and a pilot evaluation were conducted to revise the instrument. The first nationwide application of the instrument (138 participating Swiss hospitals) was complemented by in-depth interviews with 25 CRM practitioners in selected hospitals, for validation purposes. Results The monitoring instrument consists of 28 main questions organized in three sections: 1) Implementation and organizational integration of CRM, 2) Strategic objectives and operational implementation of CRM at hospital level, and 3) Overview of CRM in different services. The instrument is available in four languages (English, German, French, and Italian). It allows hospitals to gather comprehensive and systematic data on their CRM practice and to identify areas for further improvement. Conclusions We have developed an instrument for assessing development stages of CRM in hospitals that should be feasible for a continuous monitoring of developments in this important area of patient safety. PMID:21144039

Chromatography related performance of the Monitor for AeRosols and GAses in ambient air (MARGA): laboratory and field-based evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xi; Walker, John T.; Geron, Chris

2017-10-01

Evaluation of the semi-continuous Monitor for AeRosols and GAses in ambient air (MARGA, Metrohm Applikon B.V.) was conducted with an emphasis on examination of accuracy and precision associated with processing of chromatograms. Using laboratory standards and atmospheric measurements, analytical accuracy, precision and method detection limits derived using the commercial MARGA software were compared to an alternative chromatography procedure consisting of a custom Java script to reformat raw MARGA conductivity data and Chromeleon (Thermo Scientific Dionex) software for peak integration. Our analysis revealed issues with accuracy and precision resulting from misidentification and misintegration of chromatograph peaks by the MARGA automated software as well as a systematic bias at low concentrations for anions. Reprocessing and calibration of raw MARGA data using the alternative chromatography method lowered method detection limits and reduced variability (precision) between parallel sampler boxes. Instrument performance was further evaluated during a 1-month intensive field campaign in the fall of 2014, including analysis of diurnal patterns of gaseous and particulate water-soluble species (NH3, SO2, HNO3, NH4+, SO42- and NO3-), gas-to-particle partitioning and particle neutralization state. At ambient concentrations below ˜ 1 µg m-3, concentrations determined using the MARGA software are biased +30 and +10 % for NO3- and SO42-, respectively, compared to concentrations determined using the alternative chromatography procedure. Differences between the two methods increase at lower concentrations. We demonstrate that positively biased NO3- and SO42- measurements result in overestimation of aerosol acidity and introduce nontrivial errors to ion balances of inorganic aerosol. Though the source of the bias is uncertain, it is not corrected by the MARGA online single-point internal LiBr standard. Our results show that calibration and verification of instrument accuracy

AERONET's Development and Contributions through Two Decades of Aerosol Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holben, B. N.

2016-12-01

The name Brent Holben has been synonymous with AERONET since it's inception nearly two and a half decades ago. Like most scientific endeavors, progress relies on collaboration, persistence and the occasional good idea at the right time. And so it is with AERONET. I will use this opportunity to trace the history of AERONET's development and the scientific achievements that we, as a community, have developed and profited from in our research and understanding of aerosols, describe measurements from this simple instrument applied on a grand scale that created new research opportunities and most importantly acknowledge those that have been and continue to be key in AERONET contributions to aerosol science. Born from a need to remove atmospheric effects in remotely sensed data in the 1980's, molded at a confluence of ideas and shaped as a public domain database, the program has grown from a prototype instrument in 1992 designed to routinely monitor biomass burning aerosol optical depth to over 600 globally distributed sites providing near real-time aerosol properties for satellite validation, assimilation in models and access for numerous research projects. Although standardization and calibration are fundamental elements for scientific success, development for the scientific needs of the community drive new approaches for reprocessing archival data and making new measurements. I'll discuss these and glimpse into the future for AERONET.

Synchronised Aerosol Mass Spectrometer Measurements across Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nemitz, Eiko

2010-05-01

Up to twelve Aerodyne Aerosol Mass Spectrometers (AMSs) were operated simultaneously at rural and background stations (EMEP and EUSAAR sites) across Europe. Measurements took place during three intensive periods, in collaboration between the European EUCAARI IP and the EMEP monitoring activities under the UNECE Convention for Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) during three contrasting months (May 2008, Sep/Oct 2008, Feb/Mar 2009). These measurements were conducted, analysed and quality controlled carefully using a unified protocol, providing the largest spatial database of aerosol chemical composition measured with a unified online technique to date, and a unique snapshots of the European non-refractory submicron aerosol climatology. As campaign averages over all active monitoring sites, organics represent 28 to 43%, sulphate 18 to 25%, ammonium 13 to 15% and nitrate 15 to 36% of the resolved aerosol mass, with the highest relative nitrate contribution during the Feb/Mar campaign. The measurements demonstrate that in NW Europe (e.g. Ireland, UK, The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland) the regional submicron aerosol tends to be neutralised and here nitrates make a major contribution to the aerosol mass. By contrast, periods with low nitrate and acidic aerosol were observed at sites in S and E Europe (e.g. Greece, Finland), presumably due to a combination of larger SO2 point sources in Easter Europe, smaller local NH3 sources and, in the case of Greece, higher temperatures. While at the more marine and remote sites (Ireland, Scotland, Finland) nitrate concentrations were dominated by episodic transport phenomena, at continental sites (Switzerland, Germany, Hungary) nitrate followed a clear diurnal cycle, reflecting the thermodynamic behaviour of ammonium nitrate. The datasets clearly shows spatially co-ordinated, large-scale pollution episodes of organics, sulphate and nitrate, the latter being most pronounced during the Feb/Mar campaign. At selected

Space-borne Observations of Aerosols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaufman, Y. J.; Tanre, D.; Coakley, J. A.; Fraser, R. S.

2005-12-01

As early as 1963, photographs of the twilight horizon from the Vostok-6 spaceship were used by G. V. Rozenberg and V. V. Nikolaeva-Tereshkova to derive profiles of stratospheric aerosols. The launch of the ATS III satellite in 1967 sparked interest in using satellites to observe aerosol emission, transport, and their effects on climate, precipitation and health. The first use of autonomous satellites in aerosol research appears to be by Toby Carlson and Joe Prospero who tracked dust from the Sahara to the Americas in the early `70s using ATS III images. The launch of the calibrated Landsat instrument in 1972 allowed Bob Fraser to perform quantitative analyses of dust column concentrations for individual scenes. GOES launched in 1975 provided hourly data that allowed Walter Lyons and J.C. Dooley in the late 70's to report on the transport of sulfate air pollution which was later followed by estimates of the export of sulfate aerosol from the US to the Atlantic Ocean. With the launch of SAGE in 1979, Pat McCormick and co-workers began long term observations of statospheric aerosols. The launch of TIROS(N) and the AVHRR in 1979 marked the start of concerted efforts by Larry Stowe and his colleagues to produce operationally an aerosol product over oceans from the NOAA polar orbiting satellite. With the launch of the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment scanners in the late 1980's, Sundar Christopher and his colleagues began linking AVHRR-derived aerosol burdens to their effects on the Earth's radiation budget. A remarkable aspect of this early work is that instruments like the AVHRR, Landsat, and GOES imager were not originally designed to perform quantitative estimates of aerosol properties. In fact, corrections for the effects of aerosols in determining ocean reflectances implemented primarily through the work of Howard Gordon, facilitated much improved pictures of chlorophyll in the upper oceans than had been hoped for from CZCS data collected in the late 70's. This

In-flight performance of the Ozone Monitoring Instrument

PubMed Central

Schenkeveld, V.M. Erik; Jaross, Glen; Marchenko, Sergey; Haffner, David; Kleipool, Quintus L.; Rozemeijer, Nico C.; Veefkind, J. Pepijn; Levelt, Pieternel F.

2018-01-01

The Dutch-Finnish Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) is an imaging spectrograph flying on NASA’s EOS Aura satellite since July 15, 2004. OMI is primarily used to map trace gas concentrations in the Earth’s atmosphere, obtaining mid-resolution (0.4–0.6 nm) UV-VIS (264–504 nm) spectra at multiple (30–60) simultaneous fields of view. Assessed via various approaches that include monitoring of radiances from selected ocean, land, ice and cloud areas, as well as measurements of line profiles in the Solar spectra, the instrument shows low optical degradation and high wavelength stability over the mission lifetime. In the regions relatively free from the slowly unraveling ‘row anomaly’ the OMI irradiances have degraded by 3–8%, while radiances have changed by 1–2%. The long-term wavelength calibration of the instrument remains stable to 0.005–0.020 nm. PMID:29657582

Tropical intercontinental optical measurement network of aerosol, precipitable water and total column ozone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holben, B. N.; Tanre, D.; Reagan, J. A.; Eck, T. F.; Setzer, A.; Kaufman, Y. A.; Vermote, E.; Vassiliou, G. D.; Lavenu, F.

1992-01-01

A new generation of automatic sunphotometers is used to systematically monitor clear sky total column aerosol concentration and optical properties, precipitable water and total column ozone diurnally and annually in West Africa and South America. The instruments are designed to measure direct beam sun, solar aureole and sky radiances in nine narrow spectral bands from the UV to the near infrared on an hourly basis. The instrumentation and the algorithms required to reduce the data for subsequent analysis are described.

An instrument for the simultaneous acquisition of size, shape, and spectral fluorescence data from single aerosol particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirst, Edwin; Kaye, Paul H.; Foot, Virginia E.; Clark, James M.; Withers, Philip B.

2004-12-01

We describe the construction of a bio-aerosol monitor designed to capture and record intrinsic fluorescence spectra from individual aerosol particles carried in a sample airflow and to simultaneously capture data relating to the spatial distribution of elastically scattered light from each particle. The spectral fluorescence data recorded by this PFAS (Particle Fluorescence and Shape) monitor contains information relating to the particle material content and specifically to possible biological fluorophores. The spatial scattering data from PFAS yields information relating to particle size and shape. The combination of these data can provide a means of aiding the discrimination of bio-aerosols from background or interferent aerosol particles which may have similar fluorescence properties but exhibit shapes and/or sizes not normally associated with biological particles. The radiation used both to excite particle fluorescence and generate the necessary spatially scattered light flux is provided by a novel compact UV fiber laser operating at 266nm wavelength. Particles drawn from the ambient environment traverse the laser beam in single file. Intrinsic particle fluorescence in the range 300-570nm is collected via an ellipsoidal concentrator into a concave grating spectrometer, the spectral data being recorded using a 16-anode linear array photomultiplier detector. Simultaneously, the spatial radiation pattern scattered by the particle over 5°-30° scattering angle and 360° of azimuth is recorded using a custom designed 31-pixel radial hybrid photodiode array. Data from up to ~5,000 particles per second may be acquired for analysis, usually performed by artificial neural network classification.

Measuring Aerosols Generated Inside Armoured Vehicles Perforated by Depleted Uranium Ammunition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parkhurst, MaryAnn

2003-01-01

In response to questions raised after the Gulf War about the health significance of exposure to depleted uranium (DU), the U.S. Department of Defense initiated a study designed to provide an improved scientific basis for assessment of possible health effects of soldiers in vehicles struck by these munitions. As part of this study, a series of DU penetrators were fired at an Abrams tank and a Bradley fighting vehicle, and the aerosols generated by vehicle perforation were collected and characterized. A robust sampling system was designed to collect aerosols in this difficult environment and to monitor continuously the sampler flowmore » rates. Interior aerosols collected were analyzed for uranium concentration and particle size distribution as a function of time. They were also analyzed for uranium oxide phases, particle morphology, and dissolution in vitro. These data will provide input for future prospective and retrospective dose and health risk assessments of inhaled or ingested DU aerosols. This paper briefly discusses the target vehicles, firing trajectories, aerosol samplers and instrumentation control systems, and the types of analyses conducted on the samples.« less

Retrieving the Height of Smoke and Dust Aerosols by Synergistic Use of VIIRS, OMPS, and CALIOP Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Jaehwa; Hsu, N. Christina; Bettenhausen, Corey; Sayer, Andrew M.; Seftor, Colin J.; Jeong, Myeong-Jae

2015-01-01

Aerosol Single scattering albedo and Height Estimation (ASHE) algorithm was first introduced in Jeong and Hsu (2008) to provide aerosol layer height as well as single scattering albedo (SSA) for biomass burning smoke aerosols. One of the advantages of this algorithm was that the aerosol layer height can be retrieved over broad areas, which had not been available from lidar observations only. The algorithm utilized aerosol properties from three different satellite sensors, i.e., aerosol optical depth (AOD) and Ångström exponent (AE) from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), UV aerosol index (UVAI) from Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), and aerosol layer height from Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP). Here, we extend the application of the algorithm to Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) and Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS) data. We also now include dust layers as well as smoke. Other updates include improvements in retrieving the AOD of nonspherical dust from VIIRS, better determination of the aerosol layer height from CALIOP, and more realistic input aerosol profiles in the forward model for better accuracy.

Comparative Study of Aerosol and Cloud Detected by CALIPSO and OMI

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Zhong; Torres, Omar; McCormick, M. Patrick; Smith, William; Ahn, Changwoo

2012-01-01

The Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on the Aura Satellite detects the presence of desert dust and smoke particles (also known as aerosols) in terms of a parameter known as the UV Aerosol Index (UV AI). The Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) mission measures the vertical distribution of aerosols and clouds. Aerosols and clouds play important roles in the atmosphere and climate system. Accurately detecting their presence, altitude, and properties using satellite radiance measurements is a very important task. This paper presents a comparative analysis of the CALIPSO Version 2 Vertical Feature Mask (VFM) product with the (OMI) UV Aerosol Index (UV AI) and reflectivity datasets for a full year of 2007. The comparison is done at regional and global scales. Based on CALIPSO arid OMI observations, the vertical and horizontal extent of clouds and aerosols are determined and the effects of aerosol type selection, load, cloud fraction on aerosol identification are discussed. It was found that the spatial-temporal correlation found between CALIPSO and OMI observations, is strongly dependent on aerosol types and cloud contamination. CALIPSO is more sensitivity to cloud and often misidentifies desert dust aerosols as cloud, while some small scale aerosol layers as well as some pollution aerosols are unidentified by OMI UV AI. Large differences in aerosol distribution patterns between CALIPSO and OMI are observed, especially for the smoke and pollution aerosol dominated areas. In addition, the results found a significant correlation between CALIPSO lidar 1064 nm backscatter and the OMI UV AI over the study regions.

Global sensing of gaseous and aerosol trace species using automated instrumentation on 747 airliners

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perkins, P. J.; Papathakos, L. C.

1978-01-01

The Global Atmospheric Sampling Program (GASP) is collecting and analyzing data on gaseous and aerosol trace contaminants in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. Measurements are obtained from automated systems installed on four 747 airliners flying global air routes. Improved instruments and analysis techniques are providing an expanding data base for trace species including ozone, carbon monoxide, water vapor, condensation nuclei, and mass concentration of sulfates and nitrates. Simultaneous measurements of several trace species obtained frequently can be used to identify the source of the air mass as being typically tropospheric or stratospheric.

Assessment of 10 Year Record of Aerosol Optical Depth from OMI UV Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ahn, Changwoo; Torres, Omar; Jethva, Hiren

2014-01-01

The Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) onboard the EOS-Aura satellite provides information on aerosol optical properties by making use of the large sensitivity to aerosol absorption in the near-ultraviolet (UV) spectral region. Another important advantage of using near UV observations for aerosol characterization is the low surface albedo of all terrestrial surfaces in this spectral region that reduces retrieval errors associated with land surface reflectance characterization. In spite of the 13 × 24 square kilometers coarse sensor footprint, the OMI near UV aerosol algorithm (OMAERUV) retrieves aerosol optical depth (AOD) and single-scattering albedo under cloud-free conditions from radiance measurements at 354 and 388 nanometers. We present validation results of OMI AOD against space and time collocated Aerosol Robotic Network measured AOD values over multiple stations representing major aerosol episodes and regimes. OMAERUV's performance is also evaluated with respect to those of the Aqua-MODIS Deep Blue and Terra-MISR AOD algorithms over arid and semi-arid regions in Northern Africa. The outcome of the evaluation analysis indicates that in spite of the "row anomaly" problem, affecting the sensor since mid-2007, the long-term aerosol record shows remarkable sensor stability.

Ozone and Aerosol Retrieval from Backscattered Ultraviolet Radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhartia, Pawan K.

2012-01-01

In this presentation we will discuss the techniques to estimate total column ozone and aerosol absorption optical depth from the measurements of back scattered ultraviolet (buv) radiation. The total ozone algorithm has been used to create a unique record of the ozone layer, spanning more than 3 decades, from a series of instruments (BUV, SBUV, TOMS, SBUV/2) flown on NASA, NOAA, Japanese and Russian satellites. We will discuss how this algorithm can be considered a generalization of the well-known Dobson/Brewer technique that has been used to process data from ground-based instruments for many decades, and how it differs from the DOAS techniques that have been used to estimate vertical column densities of a host of trace gases from data collected by GOME and SCIAMACHY instruments. The buv aerosol algorithm is most suitable for the detection of UV absorbing aerosols (smoke, desert dust, volcanic ash) and is the only technique that can detect aerosols embedded in clouds. This algorithm has been used to create a quarter century record of aerosol absorption optical depth using the buv data collected by a series of TOMS instruments. We will also discuss how the data from the OMI instrument launched on July 15, 2004 will be combined with data from MODIS and CALIPSO lidar data to enhance the accuracy and information content of satellite-derived aerosol measurements. The OMI and MODIS instruments are currently flying on EOS Aura and EOS Aqua satellites respectively, part of a constellation of satellites called the "A-train".

Nitrogen dioxide observations from the Geostationary Trace gas and Aerosol Sensor Optimization (GeoTASO) airborne instrument: Retrieval algorithm and measurements during DISCOVER-AQ Texas 2013

EPA Science Inventory

The Geostationary Trace gas and Aerosol Sensor Optimization (GeoTASO) airborne instrument is a test bed for upcoming air quality satellite instruments that will measure backscattered ultraviolet, visible and near-infrared light from geostationary orbit. GeoTASO flew on the NASA F...

Monitoring Earth's Shortwave Reflectance: GEO Instrument Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brageot, Emily; Mercury, Michael; Green, Robert; Mouroulis, Pantazis; Gerwe, David

2015-01-01

In this paper we present a GEO instrument concept dedicated to monitoring the Earth's global spectral reflectance with a high revisit rate. Based on our measurement goals, the ideal instrument needs to be highly sensitive (SNR greater than 100) and to achieve global coverage with spectral sampling (less than or equal to 10nm) and spatial sampling (less than or equal to 1km) over a large bandwidth (380-2510 nm) with a revisit time (greater than or equal to greater than or equal to 3x/day) sufficient to fully measure the spectral-radiometric-spatial evolution of clouds and confounding factor during daytime. After a brief study of existing instruments and their capabilities, we choose to use a GEO constellation of up to 6 satellites as a platform for this instrument concept in order to achieve the revisit time requirement with a single launch. We derive the main parameters of the instrument and show the above requirements can be fulfilled while retaining an instrument architecture as compact as possible by controlling the telescope aperture size and using a passively cooled detector.

Evolution of aerosol loading in Santiago de Chile between 1997 and 2014

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pistone, Kristina; Gallardo, Laura

2015-04-01

While aerosols produced by major cities are a significant component of anthropogenic climate forcing as well as an important factor in public health, many South American cities have not been a major focus of aerosol studies due in part to relatively few long-term observations in the region. Here we present a synthesis of the available data for the emerging megacity of Santiago, Chile. We report new results from a recent NASA AERONET (AErosol RObotic NETwork) site in the Santiago basin, combining these with previous AERONET observations in Santiago as well as with a new assessment of the 11-station air quality monitoring network currently administered by the Chilean Environment Ministry (MMA, Ministerio del Medio Ambiente) to assess changes in aerosol composition since 1997. While the average surface concentration of pollution components (specifically PM2.5 and PM10) has decreased, no significant change in total aerosol optical depth was observed. However, changes in aerosol size and composition are suggested by the proxy measurements. Previous studies have revealed limitations in purely satellite-based studies over Santiago due to biases from high surface reflection in the region, particularly in summer months (e.g. Escribano et al 2014). To overcome this difficulty and certain limitations in the air quality data, we next incorporate analysis of aerosol products from the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) instrument along with those from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument, both on NASA's Terra satellite, to better quantify the high bias of MODIS. Thus incorporating these complementary datasets, we characterize the aerosol over Santiago over the period 1997 to 2014, including the evolution of aerosol properties over time and seasonal dependencies in the observed trends. References: Escribano et al (2014), "Satellite Retrievals of Aerosol Optical Depth over a Subtropical Urban Area: The Role of Stratification and Surface

Report on monitoring and support instruments for solar physics research from Spacelab

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

The Quick Reaction and Special Purpose Facility Definition Team for Solar Physics Spacelab Payloads examined a variety of instruments to fulfill the following functions: (1) solar physics research appropriate to Spacelab, (2) correlative data for research in such fields as aeronomy, magnetospheric physics, ionospheric physics, meteorology and climatology, (3) target selection for activity alert monitoring and (4) pointing accuracy monitoring of Spacelab platforms. In this examination the team accepted a number of restrictions and qualifications: (1) the cost of such instruments must be low, so as not to adversely impact the development of new, research class instrumentation in the early Spacelab era; (2) the instruments should be of such a size that they each would occupy a small fraction of a pointing system, and (3) the weight and power consumption of the instruments should also be small. With these restrictions, the instruments chosen are: the visible light telescope and magnetograph, the extreme-ultraviolet telescope, and the solar irradiance monitor.

Photographic coronagraph, Skylab particulate experiment T025. [earth atmospheric pollution and Kohoutek Comet monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giovane, F.; Schuerman, D. W.; Greenberg, J. M.

1977-01-01

A photographic coronagraph, built to monitor Skylab's extravehicular contamination, is described. This versatile instrument was used to observe the earth's vertical aerosol distribution and Comet Kohoutek (1973f) near perihelion. Although originally designed for deployment from the solar airlock, the instrument was modified for EVA operation when the airlock was rendered unusable. The results of the observations made in four EVA's were almost completely ruined by the failure of a Skylab operational camera used with the coronagraph. Nevertheless, an aerosol layer at 48 km was discovered in the southern hemisphere from the few useful photographs.

Preliminary characterization of submicron secondary aerosol in the amazon forest - ATTO station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carbone, S.; Ferreira De Brito, J.; Andreae, M. O.; Pöhlker, C.; Chi, X.; Saturno, J.; Barbosa, H. M.; Artaxo, P.

2014-12-01

Biogenic secondary organic aerosol particles are investigated in the Amazon in the context of the GoAmazon Project. The forest naturally emits a large number of gaseous compounds; they are called the volatile organic compounds (VOCs). They are emitted through processes that are not totally understood. Part of those gaseous compounds are converted into aerosol particles, which affect the biogeochemical cycles, the radiation balance, the mechanisms involving cloud formation and evolution, among few other important effects. In this study the aerosol life-cycle is investigated at the ATTO station, which is located about 150 km northeast of Manaus, with emphasis on the natural organic component and its impacts in the ecosystem. To achieve these objectives physical and chemical aerosol properties have been investigated, such as the chemical composition with aerosol chemical speciation monitor (ACSM), nanoparticle size distribution (using the SMPS - Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer), optical properties with measurements of scattering and absorption (using nephelometers and aethalometers). Those instruments have been operating continuously since February 2014 together with trace gases (O3, CO2, CO, SO2 and NOx) analyzers and additional meteorological instruments. On average PM1 (the sum of black carbon, organic and inorganic ions) totalized 1.0±0.3 μg m-3, where the organic fraction was dominant (75%). During the beginning of the dry season (July/August) the organic aerosol presented a moderate oxygenated character with the oxygen to carbon ratio (O:C) of 0.7. In the wet season some episodes containing significant amount of chloride and backward wind trajectories suggest aerosol contribution from the Atlantic Ocean. A more comprehensive analysis will include an investigation of the different oxidized fractions of the organic aerosol and optical properties.

Insight into global trends in aerosol composition from 2005 to 2015 inferred from the OMI Ultraviolet Aerosol Index

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammer, Melanie S.; Martin, Randall V.; Li, Chi; Torres, Omar; Manning, Max; Boys, Brian L.

2018-06-01

Observations of aerosol scattering and absorption offer valuable information about aerosol composition. We apply a simulation of the Ultraviolet Aerosol Index (UVAI), a method of detecting aerosol absorption from satellite observations, to interpret UVAI values observed by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) from 2005 to 2015 to understand global trends in aerosol composition. We conduct our simulation using the vector radiative transfer model VLIDORT with aerosol fields from the global chemical transport model GEOS-Chem. We examine the 2005-2015 trends in individual aerosol species from GEOS-Chem and apply these trends to the UVAI simulation to calculate the change in simulated UVAI due to the trends in individual aerosol species. We find that global trends in the UVAI are largely explained by trends in absorption by mineral dust, absorption by brown carbon, and scattering by secondary inorganic aerosol. Trends in absorption by mineral dust dominate the simulated UVAI trends over North Africa, the Middle East, East Asia, and Australia. The UVAI simulation resolves observed negative UVAI trends well over Australia, but underestimates positive UVAI trends over North Africa and Central Asia near the Aral Sea and underestimates negative UVAI trends over East Asia. We find evidence of an increasing dust source from the desiccating Aral Sea that may not be well represented by the current generation of models. Trends in absorption by brown carbon dominate the simulated UVAI trends over biomass burning regions. The UVAI simulation reproduces observed negative trends over central South America and West Africa, but underestimates observed UVAI trends over boreal forests. Trends in scattering by secondary inorganic aerosol dominate the simulated UVAI trends over the eastern United States and eastern India. The UVAI simulation slightly overestimates the observed positive UVAI trends over the eastern United States and underestimates the observed negative UVAI trends over

Exposure and Emissions Monitoring during Carbon Nanofiber Production—Part I: Elemental Carbon and Iron–Soot Aerosols

PubMed Central

Birch, M. Eileen; Ku, Bon-Ki; Evans, Douglas E.; Ruda-Eberenz, Toni A.

2015-01-01

Production of carbon nanofibers and nanotubes (CNFs/CNTs) and their composite products is increasing globally. High volume production may increase the exposure risks for workers who handle these materials. Though health effects data for CNFs/CNTs are limited, some studies raise serious health concerns. Given the uncertainty about their potential hazards, there is an immediate need for toxicity data and field studies to assess exposure to CNFs/CNTs. An extensive study was conducted at a facility that manufactures and processes CNFs. Filter, sorbent, cascade impactor, bulk, and microscopy samples, combined with direct-reading instruments, provided complementary information on air contaminants. Samples were analyzed for organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC), metals, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), with EC as a measure of CNFs. Transmission electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy also was applied. Fine/ultrafine iron-rich soot, PAHs, and carbon monoxide were production byproducts. Direct-reading instrument results were reported previously [Evans DE et al. (Aerosol monitoring during carbon nanofiber production: mobile direct-reading sampling. Ann Occup Hyg 2010;54:514–31.)] Results for time-integrated samples are reported as companion papers in this Issue. OC and EC, metals, and microscopy results are reported here, in Part I, while results for PAHs are reported in Part II [Birch ME. (Exposure and Emissions Monitoring during Carbon Nanofiber Production—Part II: Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons. Ann. Occup. Hyg 2011; 55: 1037–47.)]. Respirable EC area concentrations inside the facility were about 6–68 times higher than outdoors, while personal breathing zone samples were up to 170 times higher. PMID:21965464

Top-of-Atmosphere Direct Radiative Effect of Aerosols from the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System Satellite Instrument (CERES)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loeb, N. G.; Kato, S.

2002-01-01

Nine months of CERES/TRMM broadband fluxes combined with VIRS high-resolution imager measurements are used to estimate the daily average direct radiative effect of aerosols for clear-sky conditions over the tropical oceans. On average, aerosols have a cooling effect over the tropics of 4.6 +/- 1 W/sq m. The magnitude is approx.2 W/sq m smaller over the southern tropical oceans than it is over northern tropical oceans. The direct effect derived from CERES is highly correlated with coincident aerosol optical depth retrievals inferred from 0.63 microns VIRS radiances (correlation coefficient of 0.96). The slope of the regression line is approx. -32 W/sq m/t over the equatorial Pacific Ocean, but changes both regionally and seasonally, depending on the aerosol characteristics. Near sources of biomass burning and desert dust, the aerosol direct effect reaches -25 W sq m to -30 W/sq m. The direct effect from CERES also shows a dependence on wind speed. The reason for this dependence is unclear-it may be due to increased aerosol (e.g. sea-salt or aerosol transport) or increased surface reflection (e.g. due to whitecaps). The uncertainty in the tropical average direct effect from CERES is approx. 1 W/sq m (approx. 20%) due mainly to cloud contamination, the radiance-to-flux conversion, and instrument calibration. By comparison, uncertainties in the direct effect from the ERBE and CERES "ERBE-Like" products are a factor of 3 to 5 larger.

Introduction of the new concept: Potential Aerosol Mass (PAM) for Inorganic and Organic Secondary Aerosol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, E.; Root, M. J.; Brune, W. H.

2006-12-01

A new concept, the Potential Aerosol Mass (PAM), is being developed and tested in the laboratory with the goal of deploying instruments to measure PAM in the atmosphere. PAM can be defined as the maximum aerosol mass that precursor gases can be oxidized to form. In the PAM concept, all precursor gases are oxidized to low volatile compounds with excessive amount of oxidants in a small continuous-flow Teflon cylinder, resulting in aerosol formation. Excessive amounts of OH and O3 are produced by a UV light that shines into the Teflon chamber. For our studies, the aerosol mass is then detected with a real-time aerosol mass measurement instrument, the Rupprecht and Patashnick Tapered Element Oscillating Microbalance (TEOM) and Filter Dynamic Measurement System (FDMS). As a test of the system, SO2 was oxidized to sulfate; the measured and calculated conversion ratios of sulfate aerosol mass to SO2 mass agree to within 10%. We will discuss the results of a series of laboratory tests that have been conducted with α-pinene to determine the variables that most affect its Secondary Organic Aerosol (SOA) yield. We will also discuss the results of some atmospheric measurement tests made at a site on the Penn State University campus.

Monitoring Instrument Performance in Regional Broadband Seismic Network Using Ambient Seismic Noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, F.; Lyu, S.; Lin, J.

2017-12-01

In the past ten years, the number of seismic stations has increased significantly, and regional seismic networks with advanced technology have been gradually developed all over the world. The resulting broadband data help to improve the seismological research. It is important to monitor the performance of broadband instruments in a new network in a long period of time to ensure the accuracy of seismic records. Here, we propose a method that uses ambient noise data in the period range 5-25 s to monitor instrument performance and check data quality in situ. The method is based on an analysis of amplitude and phase index parameters calculated from pairwise cross-correlations of three stations, which provides multiple references for reliable error estimates. Index parameters calculated daily during a two-year observation period are evaluated to identify stations with instrument response errors in near real time. During data processing, initial instrument responses are used in place of available instrument responses to simulate instrument response errors, which are then used to verify our results. We also examine feasibility of the tailing noise using data from stations selected from USArray in different locations and analyze the possible instrumental errors resulting in time-shifts used to verify the method. Additionally, we show an application that effects of instrument response errors that experience pole-zeros variations on monitoring temporal variations in crustal properties appear statistically significant velocity perturbation larger than the standard deviation. The results indicate that monitoring seismic instrument performance helps eliminate data pollution before analysis begins.

Characterization of Florida red tide aerosol and the temporal profile of aerosol concentration.

PubMed

Cheng, Yung Sung; Zhou, Yue; Pierce, Richard H; Henry, Mike; Baden, Daniel G

2010-05-01

Red tide aerosols containing aerosolized brevetoxins are produced during the red tide bloom and transported by wind to coastal areas of Florida. This study reports the characterization of Florida red tide aerosols in human volunteer studies, in which an asthma cohort spent 1h on Siesta Beach (Sarasota, Florida) during aerosolized red tide events and non-exposure periods. Aerosol concentrations, brevetoxin levels, and particle size distribution were measured. Hourly filter samples were taken and analyzed for brevetoxin and NaCl concentrations. In addition, the aerosol mass concentration was monitored in real time. The results indicated that during a non-exposure period in October 2004, no brevetoxin was detected in the water, resulting in non-detectable levels of brevetoxin in the aerosol. In March 2005, the time-averaged concentrations of brevetoxins in water samples were moderate, in the range of 5-10 microg/L, and the corresponding brevetoxin level of Florida red tide aerosol ranged between 21 and 39 ng/m(3). The temporal profiles of red tide aerosol concentration in terms of mass, NaCl, and brevetoxin were in good agreement, indicating that NaCl and brevetoxins are components of the red tide aerosol. By continuously monitoring the marine aerosol and wind direction at Siesta Beach, we observed that the marine aerosol concentration varied as the wind direction changed. The temporal profile of the Florida red tide aerosol during a sampling period could be explained generally with the variation of wind direction. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ozone and Aerosol Retrieval from Backscattered Ultraviolet Radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhartia, Pawan K.

2004-01-01

In this presentation we will discuss the techniques to estimate total column ozone and aerosol absorption optical depth from the measurements of backscattered ultraviolet (buv) radiation. The total ozone algorithm has been used to create a unique record of the ozone layer, spanning more than 3 decades, from a series of instruments (BUV, SBUV, TOMS, SBUV/2) flown on NASA, NOAA, Japanese and Russian satellites. We will discuss how this algorithm can be considered a generalization of the well-known Dobson/Brewer technique that has been used to process data from ground-based instruments for many decades, and how it differs from the DOAS techniques that have been used to estimate vertical column densities of a host of trace gases from data collected by GOME and SCIAMACHY instruments. The BUV aerosol algorithm is most suitable for the detection of UV absorbing aerosols (smoke, desert dust, volcanic ash) and is the only technique that can detect aerosols embedded in clouds. This algorithm has been used to create a quarter century record of aerosol absorption optical depth using the BUV data collected by a series of TOMS instruments. We will also discuss how the data from the OM1 instrument launched on July 15,2004 will be combined with data from MODIS and CALIPSO lidar data to enhance the accuracy and information content of satellite-derived aerosol measurements. The OM1 and MODIS instruments are currently flying on EOS Aura and EOS Aqua satellites respectively, part of a constellation of satellites called the "A-train". The CALIPSO satellite is expected to join this constellation in mid 2005.

Instrumentation, monitoring, and modeling of the I-35W bridge.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-08-01

The new I-35W Bridge was instrumented incorporating "smart bridge technology" by Figg Engineering Group in : conjunction with Flatiron-Manson. The purpose of the instrumentation was to monitor the structure during service, : and to use this informati...

Indirect and semi-direct aerosol campaign: The impact of Arctic aerosols on clouds

DOE PAGES

McFarquhar, Greg M.; Ghan, Steven; Verlinde, Johannes; ...

2011-02-01

A comprehensive dataset of microphysical and radiative properties of aerosols and clouds in the boundary layer in the vicinity of Barrow, Alaska, was collected in April 2008 during the Indirect and Semi-Direct Aerosol Campaign (ISDAC). ISDAC's primary aim was to examine the effects of aerosols, including those generated by Asian wildfires, on clouds that contain both liquid and ice. ISDAC utilized the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Pro- gram's permanent observational facilities at Barrow and specially deployed instruments measuring aerosol, ice fog, precipitation, and radiation. The National Research Council of Canada Convair-580 flew 27 sorties and collected data using an unprecedented 41more » stateof- the-art cloud and aerosol instruments for more than 100 h on 12 different days. Aerosol compositions, including fresh and processed sea salt, biomassburning particles, organics, and sulfates mixed with organics, varied between flights. Observations in a dense arctic haze on 19 April and above, within, and below the single-layer stratocumulus on 8 and 26 April are enabling a process-oriented understanding of how aerosols affect arctic clouds. Inhomogeneities in reflectivity, a close coupling of upward and downward Doppler motion, and a nearly constant ice profile in the single-layer stratocumulus suggests that vertical mixing is responsible for its longevity observed during ISDAC. Data acquired in cirrus on flights between Barrow and Fairbanks, Alaska, are improving the understanding of the performance of cloud probes in ice. Furthermore, ISDAC data will improve the representation of cloud and aerosol processes in models covering a variety of spatial and temporal scales, and determine the extent to which surface measurements can provide retrievals of aerosols, clouds, precipitation, and radiative heating.« less

A Laboratory Investigation of Aerosol and Extinction Characteristics for SALTY DOG, NWC 29 and NWC 78 Pyrotechnics

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-10-01

The artificial fogs are produced by 1’SALTY DOC,14 and phosphorus pentoxide smokeS~in Calspan’s 590 cubic meter chamber at controlled relative...the chamber experiments, an isokinetic sampling inlet was employed for minimizing aerosol losses during sampling. Instrumentation used to monitor...with a 1 cfm critical orifice and vacuum pump. Additionally, a flow meter , placed behind the filter, was monitored to assure that filter loading did

Improving the detection of wind fields from LIDAR aerosol backscatter using feature extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bickel, Brady R.; Rotthoff, Eric R.; Walters, Gage S.; Kane, Timothy J.; Mayor, Shane D.

2016-04-01

The tracking of winds and atmospheric features has many applications, from predicting and analyzing weather patterns in the upper and lower atmosphere to monitoring air movement from pig and chicken farms. Doppler LIDAR systems exist to quantify the underlying wind speeds, but cost of these systems can sometimes be relatively high, and processing limitations exist. The alternative is using an incoherent LIDAR system to analyze aerosol backscatter. Improving the detection and analysis of wind information from aerosol backscatter LIDAR systems will allow for the adoption of these relatively low cost instruments in environments where the size, complexity, and cost of other options are prohibitive. Using data from a simple aerosol backscatter LIDAR system, we attempt to extend the processing capabilities by calculating wind vectors through image correlation techniques to improve the detection of wind features.

Concurrent Pilot Instrument Monitoring in the Automated Multi-Crew Airline Cockpit.

PubMed

Jarvis, Stephen R

2017-12-01

Pilot instrument monitoring has been described as "inadequate," "ineffective," and "insufficient" after multicrew aircraft accidents. Regulators have called for improved instrument monitoring by flight crews, but scientific knowledge in the area is scarce. Research has tended to investigate the monitoring of individual pilots when in the pilot-flying role; very little research has looked at crew monitoring, or that of the "monitoring-pilot" role despite it being half of the apparent problem. Eye-tracking data were collected from 17 properly constituted and current Boeing 737 crews operating in a full motion simulator. Each crew flew four realistic flight segments, with pilots swapping between the pilot-flying and pilot-monitoring roles, with and without the autopilot engaged. Analysis was performed on the 375 maneuvering-segments prior to localizer intercept. Autopilot engagement led to significantly less visual dwell time on the attitude director indicator (mean 212.8-47.8 s for the flying pilot and 58.5-39.8 s for the monitoring-pilot) and an associated increase on the horizontal situation indicator (18-52.5 s and 36.4-50.5 s). The flying-pilots' withdrawal of attention from the primary flight reference and increased attention to the primary navigational reference was paralleled rather than complemented by the monitoring-pilot, suggesting that monitoring vulnerabilities can be duplicated in the flight deck. Therefore it is possible that accident causes identified as "inadequate" or "insufficient" monitoring, are in fact a result of parallel monitoring.Jarvis SR. Concurrent pilot instrument monitoring in the automated multi-crew airline cockpit. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(12):1100-1106.

Soot Particle Studies - Instrument Inter-Comparison – Project Overview

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cross, E.; Sedlacek, A.; Onasch, T. B.

2010-03-06

An inter-comparison study of instruments designed to measure the microphysical and optical properties of soot particles was completed. The following mass-based instruments were tested: Couette Centrifugal Particle Mass Analyzer (CPMA), Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer - Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (AMS-SMPS), Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP2), Soot Particle-Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (SP-AMS) and Photoelectric Aerosol Sensor (PAS2000CE). Optical instruments measured absorption (photoacoustic, interferometric, and filter-based), scattering (in situ), and extinction (light attenuation within an optical cavity). The study covered an experimental matrix consisting of 318 runs that systematically tested the performance of instruments across a range of parameters including: fuel equivalence ratiomore » (1.8 {le} {phi} {le} 5), particle shape (mass-mobility exponent (D{sub f m}), 2.0 {le} D{sub f m} {le} 3.0), particle mobility size (30 {le} d{sub m} {le} 300 nm), black carbon mass (0.07 {le} m{sub BC} {le} 4.2 fg) and particle chemical composition. In selected runs, particles were coated with sulfuric acid or dioctyl sebacate (DOS) (0.5 {le} {Delta}r{sub ve} {le} 201 nm) where {Delta}r{sub ve} is the change in the volume equivalent radius due to the coating material. The effect of non-absorbing coatings on instrument response was determined. Changes in the morphology of fractal soot particles were monitored during coating and denuding processes and the effect of particle shape on instrument response was determined. The combination of optical and mass based measurements was used to determine the mass specific absorption coefficient for denuded soot particles. The single scattering albedo of the particles was also measured. An overview of the experiments and sample results are presented.« less

Multi-Sensor Aerosol Products Sampling System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petrenko, M.; Ichoku, C.; Leptoukh, G.

2011-01-01

Global and local properties of atmospheric aerosols have been extensively observed and measured using both spaceborne and ground-based instruments, especially during the last decade. Unique properties retrieved by the different instruments contribute to an unprecedented availability of the most complete set of complimentary aerosol measurements ever acquired. However, some of these measurements remain underutilized, largely due to the complexities involved in analyzing them synergistically. To characterize the inconsistencies and bridge the gap that exists between the sensors, we have established a Multi-sensor Aerosol Products Sampling System (MAPSS), which consistently samples and generates the spatial statistics (mean, standard deviation, direction and rate of spatial variation, and spatial correlation coefficient) of aerosol products from multiple spacebome sensors, including MODIS (on Terra and Aqua), MISR, OMI, POLDER, CALIOP, and SeaWiFS. Samples of satellite aerosol products are extracted over Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) locations as well as over other locations of interest such as those with available ground-based aerosol observations. In this way, MAPSS enables a direct cross-characterization and data integration between Level-2 aerosol observations from multiple sensors. In addition, the available well-characterized co-located ground-based data provides the basis for the integrated validation of these products. This paper explains the sampling methodology and concepts used in MAPSS, and demonstrates specific examples of using MAPSS for an integrated analysis of multiple aerosol products.

Evolution of wavelength-dependent mass absorption cross sections of carbonaceous aerosols during the 2010 DOE CARES campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flowers, B. A.; Dubey, M. K.; Subramanian, R.; Sedlacek, A. J.; Kelley, P.; Luke, W. T.; Jobson, B. T.; Zaveri, R. A.

2011-12-01

Predictions of aerosol radiative forcing require process level optical property models that are built on precise and accurate field observations. Evolution of aerosol optical properties for urban influenced carbonaceous aerosol undergoing transport and mixing with rural air masses was a focal point of the DOE Carbonaceous Aerosol and Radiative Effects (CARES) campaign near Sacramento, CA in summer 2010. Urban aerosol was transported from Sacramento, CA (T0) to the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains to a rural site located near Cool, CA (T1). Aerosol absorption and scattering coefficients were measured at the T0 and T1 sites using integrated photoacoustic acoustic/nephelometer instruments (PASS-3 and PASS-UV) at 781, 532, 405, and 375 nm. Single particle soot photometry (SP2) instrumentation was used to monitor black carbon (BC) mass at both sites. Combining data from these sensors allows estimate of the wavelength-dependent mass absorption coefficient (MAC(λ)) and partitioning of MAC(λ) into contributions from the BC core and from enhancements from coating of BC cores. MAC(λ) measured in this way is free of artifacts associated with filter-based aerosol absorption measurements and takes advantage of the single particle sensitivity of the SP2 instrument, allowing observation of MAC(λ) on 10 minute and faster time scales. Coating was observed to enhance MAC(λ) by 20 - 30 % and different wavelength dependence for MAC(λ) was observed for urban and biomass burning aerosol. Further, T0 - T1 evolution of MAC(λ) was correlated with separately measured NO/NOy ratios and CO/CO2 ratios to understand the effects of aging & transport on MAC(λ) and the implications of aerosol processing that links air quality to radiative forcing on a regional scale. Aircraft observations made from the Gulfstream-1 during CARES are also analyzed to enhance process level understanding of the optical properties of fresh and aged carbonaceous aerosol in the urban-rural interface.

IMAA (Integrated Measurements of Aerosol in Agri valley) campaign: Multi-instrumental observations at the largest European oil/gas pre-treatment plant area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calvello, Mariarosaria; Caggiano, Rosa; Esposito, Francesco; Lettino, Antonio; Sabia, Serena; Summa, Vito; Pavese, Giulia

2017-11-01

A short-term intensive multi-instrumental measurement campaign (Integrated Measurements of Aerosol in Agri valley - IMAA) was carried out near the largest European oil and gas pre-treatment plant (Centro Olio Val d'Agri - COVA) in a populated area, where, so far, ample characterization of aerosol loading is missing. As such, between the 2 and 17 July in 2013, using a number of instruments analyses were carried out on physical, chemical, morphological and optical properties of aerosol at this distinctive site, at both ground and over the atmospheric column, including the investigation of the mixing and transformation of particles. The observation of slag silicates with a rough surface texture is consistent with the presence of oil-related activities which represent the only industrial activity in the area. Desulfurization/sulfur liquefaction processes occurring at COVA can explain the peculiar morphology of calcium-sodium-aluminum particles. The common COVA source was associated with high concentrations of sulfur, nickel and zinc, and with significant correlations between zinc-sulfur and zinc-nickel. The Optical Particle Sizer (OPS) data, hygroscopicity and optical properties of atmospheric aerosol are consistent with the typical oil-derived gaseous emissions (e.g. sulfur dioxide and methane) that strongly influence the mixing state of particles and their size distributions. Continuous combustion processes at COVA were found to be responsible for Equivalent Black Carbon (EBC) concentrations from their relevant contribution to the total number of fine particles. The expected significant contribution of WS (water soluble) and BC (Black Carbon) components to the total Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) are consistent with the results from the radiometric model especially for July 3 and 16.

Global Estimates of Average Ground-Level Fine Particulate Matter Concentrations from Satellite-Based Aerosol Optical Depth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Van Donkelaar, A.; Martin, R. V.; Brauer, M.; Kahn, R.; Levy, R.; Verduzco, C.; Villeneuve, P.

2010-01-01

Exposure to airborne particles can cause acute or chronic respiratory disease and can exacerbate heart disease, some cancers, and other conditions in susceptible populations. Ground stations that monitor fine particulate matter in the air (smaller than 2.5 microns, called PM2.5) are positioned primarily to observe severe pollution events in areas of high population density; coverage is very limited, even in developed countries, and is not well designed to capture long-term, lower-level exposure that is increasingly linked to chronic health effects. In many parts of the developing world, air quality observation is absent entirely. Instruments aboard NASA Earth Observing System satellites, such as the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR), monitor aerosols from space, providing once daily and about once-weekly coverage, respectively. However, these data are only rarely used for health applications, in part because the can retrieve the amount of aerosols only summed over the entire atmospheric column, rather than focusing just on the near-surface component, in the airspace humans actually breathe. In addition, air quality monitoring often includes detailed analysis of particle chemical composition, impossible from space. In this paper, near-surface aerosol concentrations are derived globally from the total-column aerosol amounts retrieved by MODIS and MISR. Here a computer aerosol simulation is used to determine how much of the satellite-retrieved total column aerosol amount is near the surface. The five-year average (2001-2006) global near-surface aerosol concentration shows that World Health Organization Air Quality standards are exceeded over parts of central and eastern Asia for nearly half the year.

Comparison of Summer and Winter California Central Valley Aerosol Distributions from Lidar and MODIS Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, Jasper R., Jr.; DeYoung, Russell J.; Chu, D. Allen

2010-01-01

Aerosol distributions from two aircraft lidar campaigns conducted in the California Central Valley are compared in order to identify seasonal variations. Aircraft lidar flights were conducted in June 2003 and February 2008. While the PM2.5 concentration is highest in the winter, the aerosol optical depth measured from MODIS is highest in the summer. A seasonal comparison shows that PM2.5 in the winter can exceed summer PM2.5 by 55%, while summer AOD exceeds winter AOD by 43%. Higher temperatures wildfires in the summer produce elevated aerosol layers that are detected by satellite measurements, but not surface particulate matter monitors. Measurements of the boundary layer height from lidar instruments are necessary to incorporate satellite measurements with air quality measurements.

Using a gradient boosting model to improve the performance of low-cost aerosol monitors in a dense, heterogeneous urban environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Nicholas E.; Bonczak, Bartosz; Kontokosta, Constantine E.

2018-07-01

The increased availability and improved quality of new sensing technologies have catalyzed a growing body of research to evaluate and leverage these tools in order to quantify and describe urban environments. Air quality, in particular, has received greater attention because of the well-established links to serious respiratory illnesses and the unprecedented levels of air pollution in developed and developing countries and cities around the world. Though numerous laboratory and field evaluation studies have begun to explore the use and potential of low-cost air quality monitoring devices, the performance and stability of these tools has not been adequately evaluated in complex urban environments, and further research is needed. In this study, we present the design of a low-cost air quality monitoring platform based on the Shinyei PPD42 aerosol monitor and examine the suitability of the sensor for deployment in a dense heterogeneous urban environment. We assess the sensor's performance during a field calibration campaign from February 7th to March 25th 2017 with a reference instrument in New York City, and present a novel calibration approach using a machine learning method that incorporates publicly available meteorological data in order to improve overall sensor performance. We find that while the PPD42 performs well in relation to the reference instrument using linear regression (R2 = 0.36-0.51), a gradient boosting regression tree model can significantly improve device calibration (R2 = 0.68-0.76). We discuss the sensor's performance and reliability when deployed in a dense, heterogeneous urban environment during a period of significant variation in weather conditions, and important considerations when using machine learning techniques to improve the performance of low-cost air quality monitors.

Vertical Profiles of Cloud Condensation Nuclei, Condensation Nuclei, Optical Aerosol, Aerosol Optical Properties, and Aerosol Volatility Measured from Balloons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deshler, T.; Snider, J. R.; Vali, G.

1998-01-01

Under the support of this grant a balloon-borne gondola containing a variety of aerosol instruments was developed and flown from Laramie, Wyoming, (41 deg N, 105 deg W) and from Lauder, New Zealand (45 deg S, 170 deg E). The gondola includes instruments to measure the concentrations of condensation nuclei (CN), cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), optically detectable aerosol (OA.) (r greater than or equal to 0.15 - 2.0 microns), and optical scattering properties using a nephelometer (lambda = 530 microns). All instruments sampled from a common inlet which was heated to 40 C on ascent and to 160 C on descent. Flights with the CN counter, OA counter, and nephelometer began in July 1994. The CCN counter was added in November 1994, and the engineering problems were solved by June 1995. Since then the flights have included all four instruments, and were completed in January 1998. Altogether there were 20 flights from Laramie, approximately 5 per year, and 2 from Lauder. Of these there were one or more engineering problems on 6 of the flights from Laramie, hence the data are somewhat limited on those 6 flights, while a complete data set was obtained from the other 14 flights. Good CCN data are available from 12 of the Laramie flights. The two flights from Lauder in January 1998 were successful for all measurements. The results from these flights, and the development of the balloon-bome CCN counter have formed the basis for five conference presentations. The heated and unheated CN and OA measurements have been used to estimate the mass fraction of the aerosol volatile, while comparisons of the nephelometer measurements were used to estimate the light scattering, associated with the volatile aerosol. These estimates were calculated for 0.5 km averages of the ascent and descent data between 2.5 km and the tropopause, near 11.5 km.

40 CFR 63.1023 - Instrument and sensory monitoring for leaks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... be used during that day's monitoring. (ii) A calibration gas other than methane in air may be used if...) Instrument monitoring for leaks. (i) Valves in gas and vapor service and in light liquid service shall be....1026(b). (iii) Connectors in gas and vapor service and in light liquid service shall be monitored...

40 CFR 63.1023 - Instrument and sensory monitoring for leaks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... be used during that day's monitoring. (ii) A calibration gas other than methane in air may be used if...) Instrument monitoring for leaks. (i) Valves in gas and vapor service and in light liquid service shall be....1026(b). (iii) Connectors in gas and vapor service and in light liquid service shall be monitored...

The Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment III/International Space Station Mission: Science Objectives and Mission Status

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eckman, R.; Zawodny, J. M.; Cisewski, M. S.; Flittner, D. E.; McCormick, M. P.; Gasbarre, J. F.; Damadeo, R. P.; Hill, C. A.

2015-12-01

The Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment III/International Space Station (SAGE III/ISS) is a strategic climate continuity mission which was included in NASA's 2010 plan, "Responding to the Challenge of Climate and Environmental Change: NASA's Plan for a Climate-Centric Architecture for Earth Observations and Applications from Space." SAGE III/ISS continues the long-term, global measurements of trace gases and aerosols begun in 1979 by SAGE I and continued by SAGE II and SAGE III on Meteor 3M. Using a well characterized occultation technique, the SAGE III instrument's spectrometer will measure vertical profiles of ozone, aerosols, water vapor, nitrogen dioxide, and other trace gases relevant to ozone chemistry. The mission will launch in 2016 aboard a Falcon 9 spacecraft.The primary objective of SAGE III/ISS is to monitor the vertical distribution of aerosols, ozone, and other trace gases in the Earth's stratosphere and troposphere to enhance our understanding of ozone recovery and climate change processes in the stratosphere and upper troposphere. SAGE III/ISS will provide data necessary to assess the state of the recovery in the distribution of ozone, extend the SAGE III aerosol measurement record that is needed by both climate models and ozone models, and gain further insight into key processes contributing to ozone and aerosol variability. The multi-decadal SAGE ozone and aerosol data sets have undergone intense community scrutiny for accuracy and stability. SAGE ozone data have been used to monitor the effectiveness of the Montreal Protocol.The ISS inclined orbit of 51.6 degrees is ideal for SAGE III measurements because the orbit permits solar occultation measurement coverage to approximately +/- 70 degrees of latitude. SAGE III/ISS will make measurements using the solar occultation measurement technique, lunar occultation measurement technique, and the limb scattering measurement technique. In this presentation, we describe the SAGE III/ISS mission, its

Inorganic Salt Interference on CO2+ in Aerodyne AMS and ACSM Organic Aerosol Composition Studies.

PubMed

Pieber, Simone M; El Haddad, Imad; Slowik, Jay G; Canagaratna, Manjula R; Jayne, John T; Platt, Stephen M; Bozzetti, Carlo; Daellenbach, Kaspar R; Fröhlich, Roman; Vlachou, Athanasia; Klein, Felix; Dommen, Josef; Miljevic, Branka; Jiménez, José L; Worsnop, Douglas R; Baltensperger, Urs; Prévôt, André S H

2016-10-04

Aerodyne aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) and Aerodyne aerosol chemical speciation monitor (ACSM) mass spectra are widely used to quantify organic aerosol (OA) elemental composition, oxidation state, and major environmental sources. The OA CO 2 + fragment is among the most important measurements for such analyses. Here, we show that a non-OA CO 2 + signal can arise from reactions on the particle vaporizer, ion chamber, or both, induced by thermal decomposition products of inorganic salts. In our tests (eight instruments, n = 29), ammonium nitrate (NH 4 NO 3 ) causes a median CO 2 + interference signal of +3.4% relative to nitrate. This interference is highly variable between instruments and with measurement history (percentiles P 10-90 = +0.4 to +10.2%). Other semi-refractory nitrate salts showed 2-10 times enhanced interference compared to that of NH 4 NO 3 , while the ammonium sulfate ((NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 ) induced interference was 3-10 times lower. Propagation of the CO 2 + interference to other ions during standard AMS and ACSM data analysis affects the calculated OA mass, mass spectra, molecular oxygen-to-carbon ratio (O/C), and f 44 . The resulting bias may be trivial for most ambient data sets but can be significant for aerosol with higher inorganic fractions (>50%), e.g., for low ambient temperatures, or laboratory experiments. The large variation between instruments makes it imperative to regularly quantify this effect on individual AMS and ACSM systems.

Exploring the applicability and limitations of selected optical scattering instruments for PM mass measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jie; Marto, Joseph P.; Schwab, James J.

2018-05-01

Two optical scattering instruments for particle mass measurement, the Thermo Personal Data RAM (PDR-1500) and the TSI Environmental DustTrak DRX (Model 8543) were evaluated by (1) using poly- and mono-disperse test aerosol in the laboratory, and (2) sampling ambient aerosol. The responses of these optical scattering instruments to different particle characteristics (size, composition, concentration) were compared with responses from reference instruments. A Mie scattering calculation was used to explain the dependence of the optical instruments' response to aerosol size and composition. Concurrently, the detection efficiency of one Alphasense Optical Particle Counter (OPC-N2) was evaluated in the laboratory as well. The relationship between aerosol mass concentration and optical scattering was determined to be strongly dependent on aerosol size and to a lesser extent on aerosol composition (as reflected in the refractive indices of the materials tested) based on ambient measurements. This confirms that there is no simple way to use optical scattering instruments over a wide range of conditions without adjustments based on knowledge of aerosol size and composition. In particular, a test period measuring ambient aerosol with optical scattering instruments and a mass based method (an Aerodyne Aerosol Mass Spectrometer) determined that roughly two thirds of the variance (R2 = 0.64) of the optical to mass signal ratio is explained by the aerosol mass median diameter alone. These observations and calculations help evaluate the applicability and limitations of these optical scattering instruments, and provide guidance to designing suitable applications for each instrument by considering aerosol sources and aerosol size.

Sensitivity of high-spectral resolution and broadband thermal infrared nadir instruments to the chemical and microphysical properties of secondary sulfate aerosols in the upper-troposphere/lower-stratosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sellitto, Pasquale; Legras, Bernard

2016-04-01

The observation of upper-tropospheric/lower-stratospheric (UTLS) secondary sulfate aerosols (SSA) and their chemical and microphysical properties from satellite nadir observations (with better spatial resolution than limb observations) is a fundamental tool to better understand their formation and evolution processes and then to estimate their impact on UTLS chemistry, and on regional and global radiative balance. Thermal infrared (TIR) observations are sensitive to the chemical composition of the aerosols due to the strong spectral variations of the imaginary part of the refractive index in this band and, correspondingly, of the absorption, as a function of the composition Then, these observations are, in principle, well adapted to detect and characterize UTLS SSA. Unfortunately, the exploitation of nadir TIR observations for sulfate aerosol layer monitoring is today very limited. Here we present a study aimed at the evaluation of the sensitivity of TIR satellite nadir observations to the chemical composition and the size distribution of idealised UTLS SSA layers. The sulfate aerosol particles are assumed as binary systems of sulfuric acid/water solution droplets, with varying sulphuric acid mixing ratios. The extinction properties of the SSA, for different sulfuric acid mixing ratios and temperatures, are systematically analysed. The extinction coefficients are derived by means of a Mie code, using refractive indices taken from the GEISA (Gestion et Étude des Informations Spectroscopiques Atmosphériques: Management and Study of Spectroscopic Information) spectroscopic database and log-normal size distributions with different effective radii and number concentrations. High-spectral resolution pseudo-observations are generated using forward radiative transfer calculations performed with the 4A (Automatized Atmospheric Absorption Atlas) radiative transfer model, to estimate the impact of the extinction of idealised aerosol layers, at typical UTLS conditions, on

Pajarito Aerosol Couplings to Ecosystems (PACE) Field Campaign Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dubey, M

Laboratory (LANL) worked on the Pajarito Aerosol Couplings to Ecosystems (PACE) intensive operational period (IOP). PACE’s primary goal was to demonstrate routine Mobile Aerosol Observing System (MAOS) field operations and improve instrumental and operational performance. LANL operated the instruments efficiently and effectively with remote guidance by the instrument mentors. This was the first time a complex suite of instruments had been operated under the ARM model and it proved to be a very successful and cost-effective model to build upon.

Ground-Based Lidar Measurements of Aerosols During ACE-2 Instrument Description, Results, and Comparisons with Other Ground-Based and Airborne Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Welton, Ellsworth J.; Voss, Kenneth J.; Gordon, Howard R.; Maring, Hal; Smirnov, Alexander; Holben, Brent; Schmid, Beat; Livingston, John M.; Russell, Philip B.; Durkee, Philip A.;

Ground-Based Lidar Measurements of Aerosols During ACE-2: Instrument Description, Results, and Comparisons with Other Ground-Based and Airborne Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Welton, Ellsworth J.; Voss, Kenneth J.; Gordon, Howard R.; Maring, Hal; Smirnov, Alexander; Holben, Brent; Schmid, Beat; Livingston, John M.; Russell, Philip B.; Durkee, Philip A.

2000-01-01

A micro-pulse lidar system (MPL) was used to measure the vertical and horizontal distribution of aerosols during the Aerosol Characterization Experiment 2 (ACE-2) in June and July of 1997. The MPL measurements were made at the Izana observatory (IZO), a weather station located on a mountain ridge (28 deg 18 min N, 16 deg 30 min W, 2367 m asl) near the center of the island of Tenerife, Canary Islands. The MPL was used to acquire aerosol backscatter, extinction, and optical depth profiles for normal background periods and periods influenced by Saharan dust from North Africa. System tests and calibration procedures are discussed, and an analysis of aerosol optical profiles acquired during ACE-2 is presented. MPL data taken during normal IZO conditions (no dust) showed that upslope aerosols appeared during the day and dissipated at night and that the layers were mostly confined to altitudes a few hundred meters above IZO. MPL data taken during a Saharan dust episode on 17 July showed that peak aerosol extinction values were an order of magnitude greater than molecular scattering over IZO, and that the dust layers extended to 5 km asl. The value of the dust backscatter-extinction ratio was determined to be 0.027 +/- 0.007 sr(exp -1). Comparisons of the MPL data with data from other collocated instruments showed good agreement during the dust episode.

Construction of an Inexpensive Sun Photometer for Measuring Aerosols Optical Depth (AOD) and Comparison Between the Ground Based and Satellite Based Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mamun, M.; Mondol, P.

2012-12-01

Aerosols influence our weather and climate because they affect the amount of sunlight reaching Earth's surface. An important way of probing the atmosphere from the ground is to measure the effects of the atmosphere on sunlight transmitted through the atmosphere to Earth's surface. These indirect techniques provide information about the entire atmosphere above the observer, not just the atmosphere that can be sampled directly. In response to global issues of air quality and climate change, and to the need to improve the quality of science education, inexpensive atmosphere monitoring instruments have been developed. This paper describes a new kind of inexpensive two channels LED Sun Photometer for monitoring aerosols that provide much better long-term stability than instruments that use expensive interference filters. Here HAZE-SPAN TERC VHS-1 model has been used for constructing sun photometer with light emitting diode as detector. Monitoring Earth's atmosphere is a challenging task. As there is no facility in our country (Bangladesh) for ground based measurement for monitoring aerosol so, this type of study is very essential. This study compares the aerosol optical depth (AOD) retrieved from the Terra and Aqua MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometers (MODIS) with ground-based measurements from a handheld sun photometer over the region of Rajshahi, Bangladesh for The 15 days duration of June 2012. The results indicate that the Terra and Aqua MODIS AOD retrievals at 550 nm have good correlations with the measurements from the handheld sun photometer. The correlation coefficients r = 0.88 for Terra and r = 0.55 for Aqua where as r = 0.65 for Terra and Aqua themselves. AOD for another wavelength at 625 nm is documented in this study for finding out the relation of AOD at different wavelengths. In this paper it has been described and summarized briefly investigations for four important topics: LEDs used as light detectors, construction of sun photometer and its

Development and Testing of the New Surface LER Climatology for OMI UV Aerosol Retrievals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gupta, Pawan; Torres, Omar; Jethva, Hiren; Ahn, Changwoo

2014-01-01

Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) onboard Aura satellite retrieved aerosols properties using UV part of solar spectrum. The OMI near UV aerosol algorithm (OMAERUV) is a global inversion scheme which retrieves aerosol properties both over ocean and land. The current version of the algorithm makes use of TOMS derived Lambertian Equivalent Reflectance (LER) climatology. A new monthly climatology of surface LER at 354 and 388 nm have been developed. This will replace TOMS LER (380 nm and 354nm) climatology in OMI near UV aerosol retrieval algorithm. The main objectives of this study is to produce high resolution (quarter degree) surface LER sets as compared to existing one degree TOMS surface LERs, to product instrument and wavelength consistent surface climatology. Nine years of OMI observations have been used to derive monthly climatology of surface LER. MODIS derived aerosol optical depth (AOD) have been used to make aerosol corrections on OMI wavelengths. MODIS derived BRDF adjusted reflectance product has been also used to capture seasonal changes in the surface characteristics. Finally spatial and temporal averaging techniques have been used to fill the gaps around the globes, especially in the regions with consistent cloud cover such as Amazon. After implementation of new surface data in the research version of algorithm, comparisons of AOD and single scattering albedo (SSA) have been performed over global AERONET sites for year 2007. Preliminary results shows improvements in AOD retrievals globally but more significance improvement were observed over desert and bright locations. We will present methodology of deriving surface data sets and will discuss the observed changes in retrieved aerosol properties with respect to reference AERONET measurements.

Instrument Performance Monitoring at Gemini North

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emig, Kimberly; Pohlen, M.; Chene, A.

2014-01-01

An instrument performance monitoring (IPM) project at the Gemini North Observatory evaluates the delivered throughput and sensitivity of, among other instruments, the Near-Infrared Integral Field Spectrometer (NIFS), the Gemini Near-Infrared Spectrograph (GNIRS), and the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS-N). Systematic observations of standard stars allow the quality of the instruments and mirror to be assessed periodically. An automated pipeline has been implemented to process and analyze data obtained with NIFS, GNIRS cross-dispersed (XD) and long slit (LS) modes, and GMOS (photometry and spectroscopy). We focus the discussion of this poster on NIFS and GNIRS. We present the spectroscopic throughput determined for ZJHK bands on NIFS, the XJHKLM band for GNIRS XD mode and the K band for GNIRS LS. Additionally, the sensitivity is available for the JHK bands in NIFS and GNIRS XD, and for the K band in GNIRS LS. We consider data taken as early as March 2011. Furthermore, the pipeline setup and the methods used to determine throughput and sensitivity are described.

Field comparison of portable and stationary instruments for outdoor urban air exposure assessments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viana, M.; Rivas, I.; Reche, C.; Fonseca, A. S.; Pérez, N.; Querol, X.; Alastuey, A.; Álvarez-Pedrerol, M.; Sunyer, J.

2015-12-01

The performance of three portable monitors (micro-aethalometer AE51, DiscMini, Dusttrak DRX) was assessed for outdoor air exposure assessment in a representative Southern European urban environment. The parameters evaluated were black carbon, particle number concentration, alveolar lung-deposited surface area, mean particle diameter, PM10, PM2.5 and PM1. The performance was tested by comparison with widely used stationary instruments (MAAP, CPC, SMPS, NSAM, GRIMM aerosol spectrometer). Results evidenced a good agreement between most portable and stationary instruments, with R2 values mostly >0.80. Relative differences between portable and stationary instruments were mostly <20%, and <10% between different units of the same instrument. The only exception was found for the Dusttrak DRX measurements, for which occasional concentration jumps in the time series were detected. Our results validate the performance of the black carbon, particle number concentration, particle surface area and mean particle diameter monitors as indicative instruments (tier 2) for outdoor air exposure assessment studies.

40 CFR 63.1023 - Instrument and sensory monitoring for leaks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... leaks. 63.1023 Section 63.1023 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Equipment Leaks-Control Level 2 Standards § 63.1023 Instrument and sensory monitoring for leaks. (a) Monitoring for leaks. The owner or operator of a regulated...

Aerosol variation over Continental Europe from 1980 to 2015 Using ALAD Aerosol Retrievals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Che, Yahui; Xue, Yong; Mei, Linlu; Guang, Jie; She, Lu

2017-04-01

The Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) on-board National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) series satellites has been used to observe the Earth and is the only spaceborne instrument which can provide users continuous long time series global coverage for more than 35 years since 1979. The initial purpose of AVHRR is for cloud detection and monitoring thermal emission of the Earth so that it lacks visible channels (only 0.64μm) and spaceborne which is unignorably unfavourable to its applications in aerosol retrieving over bright and inhomogeneous surface. Using AVHRR data, an Algorithm for the retrieval over Land of the Aerosol optical Depth (ALAD) was developed data which has great potential to be used to retrieve long time series aerosol globally from 1979 to now. The core of ALAD is to assume that the contribution of aerosol at 3.75μm wavelength to reflectance at top of the atmosphere (TOA) is negligible. At this basis, one stable and firm relationship between surface reflectance at 0.64μm and 3.75μm will be found by regression analysis at different land types after separating reflectance from radiance at 3.75μm. Then, an atmospheric transfer model is applied to calculate AOD at 0.64μm. In this study, we recalibrate AVHRR Global Area Coverage (GAC) data and then apply ALAD to calculate AOD over continental Europe (30°N to 80°N, 170°W to 40°E) to investigate aerosol changes and possible reason in past 35 years from 1981 to 2015. The retrieved AOD has been validated with ground-based data from Aerosols, Clouds, and Trace gases Research InfraStructure (ACTRIS) and AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET). The correlation of ALAD AOD with AERONET and ACTRIS is 0.77 and 0.66, respectively. Further, we also make long time series comparison of monthly averaged ALAD AOD with AERONET, ACTRIS and MODIS, showing that ALAD underestimate AOD a little. Finally, we find that the AOD over most areas in Continental Europe are less than 0.3, even less

Improvements to the OMI Near-uv Aerosol Algorithm Using A-train CALIOP and AIRS Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Torres, O.; Ahn, C.; Zhong, C.

2014-01-01

The height of desert dust and carbonaceous aerosols layers and, to a lesser extent, the difficulty in assessing the predominant size mode of these absorbing aerosol types, are sources of uncertainty in the retrieval of aerosol properties from near UV satellite observations. The availability of independent, near-simultaneous measurements of aerosol layer height, and aerosol-type related parameters derived from observations by other A-train sensors, makes possible the direct use of these parameters as input to the OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument) near UV retrieval algorithm. A monthly climatology of aerosol layer height derived from observations by the CALIOP (Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization) sensor, and real-time AIRS (Atmospheric Infrared Sounder) CO observations are used in an upgraded version of the OMI near UV aerosol algorithm. AIRS CO measurements are used as a reliable tracer of carbonaceous aerosols, which allows the identification of smoke layers in areas and times of the year where the dust-smoke differentiation is difficult in the near-UV. The use of CO measurements also enables the identification of elevated levels of boundary layer pollution undetectable by near UV observations alone. In this paper we discuss the combined use of OMI, CALIOP and AIRS observations for the characterization of aerosol properties, and show a significant improvement in OMI aerosol retrieval capabilities.

Improving Aerosol and Visibility Forecasting Capabilities Using Current and Future Generations of Satellite Observations

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-30

improving forecast performance over cloudy regions using the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) Aerosol Index; and 2) preparing for the post-MODIS...meteorological fields, the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) SW and LW surface characteristics, and an ozone climatology are used as...The primary impact of CALIOP assimilation on the model is the redistribution of mass toward the boundary layer from the free troposphere . For high

Appraising city-scale pollution monitoring capabilities of multi-satellite datasets using portable pollutant monitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aliyu, Yahaya A.; Botai, Joel O.

2018-04-01

The retrieval characteristics for a city-scale satellite experiment was explored over a Nigerian city. The study evaluated carbon monoxide and aerosol contents in the city atmosphere. We utilized the MSA Altair 5× gas detector and CW-HAT200 particulate counter to investigate the city-scale monitoring capabilities of satellite pollution observing instruments; atmospheric infrared sounder (AIRS), measurement of pollution in the troposphere (MOPITT), moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS), multi-angle imaging spectroradiometer (MISR) and ozone monitoring instrument (OMI). To achieve this, we employed the Kriging interpolation technique to collocate the satellite pollutant estimations over 19 ground sample sites for the period of 2015-2016. The portable pollutant devices were validated using the WHO air filter sampling model. To determine the city-scale performance of the satellite datasets, performance indicators: correlation coefficient, model efficiency, reliability index and root mean square error, were adopted as measures. The comparative analysis revealed that MOPITT carbon monoxide (CO) and MODIS aerosol optical depth (AOD) estimates are the appropriate satellite measurements for ground equivalents in Zaria, Nigeria. Our findings were within the acceptable limits of similar studies that utilized reference stations. In conclusion, this study offers direction to Nigeria's air quality policy organizers about available alternative air pollution measurements for mitigating air quality effects within its limited resource environment.

Indirect and Semi-Direct Aerosol Campaign: The Impact of Arctic Aerosols on Clouds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McFarquhar, Greg; Ghan, Steven J.; Verlinde, J.

2011-02-01

A comprehensive dataset of microphysical and radiative properties of aerosols and clouds in the arctic boundary layer in the vicinity of Barrow, Alaska was collected in April 2008 during the Indirect and Semi-Direct Aerosol Campaign (ISDAC) sponsored by the Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) and Atmospheric Science Programs. The primary aim of ISDAC was to examine indirect effects of aerosols on clouds that contain both liquid and ice water. The experiment utilized the ARM permanent observational facilities at the North Slope of Alaska (NSA) in Barrow. These include a cloud radar, a polarized micropulse lidar, and an atmosphericmore » emitted radiance interferometer as well as instruments specially deployed for ISDAC measuring aerosol, ice fog, precipitation and spectral shortwave radiation. The National Research Council of Canada Convair-580 flew 27 sorties during ISDAC, collecting data using an unprecedented 42 cloud and aerosol instruments for more than 100 hours on 12 different days. Data were obtained above, below and within single-layer stratus on 8 April and 26 April 2008. These data enable a process-oriented understanding of how aerosols affect the microphysical and radiative properties of arctic clouds influenced by different surface conditions. Observations acquired on a heavily polluted day, 19 April 2008, are enhancing this understanding. Data acquired in cirrus on transit flights between Fairbanks and Barrow are improving our understanding of the performance of cloud probes in ice. Ultimately the ISDAC data will be used to improve the representation of cloud and aerosol processes in models covering a variety of spatial and temporal scales, and to determine the extent to which long-term surface-based measurements can provide retrievals of aerosols, clouds, precipitation and radiative heating in the Arctic.« less

40 CFR 65.104 - Instrument and sensory monitoring for leaks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... leaks. 65.104 Section 65.104 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONSOLIDATED FEDERAL AIR RULE Equipment Leaks § 65.104 Instrument and sensory monitoring for leaks. (a) Monitoring for leaks. The owner or operator of a regulated source subject to this...

Airborne Cavity Ring-Down Measurement of Aerosol Extinction and Scattering During the Aerosol IOP

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strawa, A. W.; Ricci, K.; Provencal, R.; Schmid, B.; Covert, D.; Elleman, R.; Arnott, P.

2003-01-01

Large uncertainties in the effects of aerosols on climate require improved in-situ measurements of extinction coefficient and single-scattering albedo. This paper describes preliminary results from Cadenza, a new continuous wave cavity ring-down (CW-CRD) instrument designed to address these uncertainties. Cadenza measures the aerosol extinction coefficient for 675 nm and 1550 nm light, and simultaneously measures the scattering coefficient at 675 nm. In the past year Cadenza was deployed in the Asian Dust Above Monterey (ADAM) and DOE Aerosol Intensive Operating Period (IOP) field projects. During these flights Cadenza produced measurements of aerosol extinction in the range from 0.2 to 300 Mm-1 with an estimated precision of 0.1 Min-1 for 1550 nm light and 0.2 Mm-1 for 675 nm light. Cadenza data from the ADAM and Aerosol IOP missions compared favorably with data from the other instruments aboard the CIRPAS Twin Otter aircraft and participating in those projects.= We present comparisons between the Cadenza measurements and those friom a TSI nephelometer, Particle Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP), and the AATS 14 sun-photometer. Measurements of the optical properties of smoke and dust plumes sampled during these campaigns are presented and estimates of heating rates due to these plumes are made.

Aerosol typing - key information from aerosol studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mona, Lucia; Kahn, Ralph; Papagiannopoulos, Nikolaos; Holzer-Popp, Thomas; Pappalardo, Gelsomina

2016-04-01

Aerosol typing is a key source of aerosol information from ground-based and satellite-borne instruments. Depending on the specific measurement technique, aerosol typing can be used as input for retrievals or represents an output for other applications. Typically aerosol retrievals require some a priori or external aerosol type information. The accuracy of the derived aerosol products strongly depends on the reliability of these assumptions. Different sensors can make use of different aerosol type inputs. A critical review and harmonization of these procedures could significantly reduce related uncertainties. On the other hand, satellite measurements in recent years are providing valuable information about the global distribution of aerosol types, showing for example the main source regions and typical transport paths. Climatological studies of aerosol load at global and regional scales often rely on inferred aerosol type. There is still a high degree of inhomogeneity among satellite aerosol typing schemes, which makes the use different sensor datasets in a consistent way difficult. Knowledge of the 4d aerosol type distribution at these scales is essential for understanding the impact of different aerosol sources on climate, precipitation and air quality. All this information is needed for planning upcoming aerosol emissions policies. The exchange of expertise and the communication among satellite and ground-based measurement communities is fundamental for improving long-term dataset consistency, and for reducing aerosol type distribution uncertainties. Aerosol typing has been recognized as one of its high-priority activities of the AEROSAT (International Satellite Aerosol Science Network, http://aero-sat.org/) initiative. In the AEROSAT framework, a first critical review of aerosol typing procedures has been carried out. The review underlines the high heterogeneity in many aspects: approach, nomenclature, assumed number of components and parameters used for the

A wavelength-dispersive instrument for characterizing fluorescence and scattering spectra of individual aerosol particles on a substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huffman, Donald R.; Swanson, Benjamin E.; Huffman, J. Alex

2016-08-01

We describe a novel, low-cost instrument to acquire both elastic and inelastic (fluorescent) scattering spectra from individual supermicron-size particles in a multi-particle collection on a microscope slide. The principle of the device is based on a slitless spectroscope that is often employed in astronomy to determine the spectra of individual stars in a star cluster but had not been applied to atmospheric particles. Under excitation, most commonly by either a 405 nm diode laser or a UV light-emitting diode (LED), fluorescence emission spectra of many individual particles can be determined simultaneously. The instrument can also acquire elastic scattering spectra from particles illuminated by a white-light source. The technique also provides the ability to detect and rapidly estimate the number fraction of fluorescent particles that could contaminate a collection of non-fluorescent material, even without analyzing full spectra. Advantages and disadvantages of using black-and-white cameras compared to color cameras are given. The primary motivation for this work has been to develop an inexpensive technique to characterize fluorescent biological aerosol particles, especially particles such as pollen and mold spores that can cause allergies. An example of an iPhone-enabled device is also shown as a means for collecting data on biological aerosols at lower cost or by utilizing citizen scientists for expanded data collection.

Measurement of tropospheric aerosol in São Paulo area using a new upgraded Raman LIDAR system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landulfo, Eduardo; Rodrigues, Patrícia F.; da Silva Lopes, Fábio Juliano; Bourayou, Riad

2012-11-01

Elastic backscatter LIDAR systems have been used to determine aerosol profile concentration in several areas such as weather, pollution and air quality monitoring. In order to determine the aerosol extinction and backscattering profiles, the Klett inversion method is largely used, but this method suffers from lack of information since there are two unknown variables to be determined using only one measured LIDAR signal, and assumption of the LIDAR ratio (the relation between the extinction and backscattering coefficients) is needed. When a Raman LIDAR system is used, the inelastic backscattering signal is affected by aerosol extinction but not by aerosol backscatter, which allows this LIDAR to uniquely determine extinction and backscattering coefficients without any assumptions or any collocated instruments. The MSP-LIDAR system, set-up in a highly dense suburban area in the city of São Paulo, has been upgraded to a Raman LIDAR, and in its actual 6-channel configuration allows it to monitor elastic backscatter at 355 and 532 nm together with nitrogen and water vapor Raman backscatters at 387nm and 608 nm and 408nm and 660 nm, respectively. Thus, the measurements of aerosol backscattering, extinction coefficients and water vapor mixing ratio in the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) are becoming available. The system will provide the important meteorological parameters such as Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) and will be used for the study of aerosol variations in lower troposphere over the city of São Paulo, air quality monitoring and for estimation of humidity impact on the aerosol optical properties, without any a priori assumption. This study will present the first results obtained with this upgraded LIDAR system, demonstrating the high quality of obtained aerosol and water vapor data. For that purpose, we compared the data obtained with the new MSP-Raman LIDAR with a mobile Raman LIDAR collocated at the Center for Lasers and Applications, Nuclear and Energy Research

40 CFR 63.1004 - Instrument and sensory monitoring for leaks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... leaks. 63.1004 Section 63.1004 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Equipment Leaks-Control Level 1 § 63.1004 Instrument and sensory monitoring for leaks. (a) Monitoring for leaks. The owner or operator of a regulated source subject to this...

Classification of Dust Days by Satellite Remotely Sensed Aerosol Products

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sorek-Hammer, M.; Cohen, A.; Levy, Robert C.; Ziv, B.; Broday, D. M.

2013-01-01

Considerable progress in satellite remote sensing (SRS) of dust particles has been seen in the last decade. From an environmental health perspective, such an event detection, after linking it to ground particulate matter (PM) concentrations, can proxy acute exposure to respirable particles of certain properties (i.e. size, composition, and toxicity). Being affected considerably by atmospheric dust, previous studies in the Eastern Mediterranean, and in Israel in particular, have focused on mechanistic and synoptic prediction, classification, and characterization of dust events. In particular, a scheme for identifying dust days (DD) in Israel based on ground PM10 (particulate matter of size smaller than 10 nm) measurements has been suggested, which has been validated by compositional analysis. This scheme requires information regarding ground PM10 levels, which is naturally limited in places with sparse ground-monitoring coverage. In such cases, SRS may be an efficient and cost-effective alternative to ground measurements. This work demonstrates a new model for identifying DD and non-DD (NDD) over Israel based on an integration of aerosol products from different satellite platforms (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI)). Analysis of ground-monitoring data from 2007 to 2008 in southern Israel revealed 67 DD, with more than 88 percent occurring during winter and spring. A Classification and Regression Tree (CART) model that was applied to a database containing ground monitoring (the dependent variable) and SRS aerosol product (the independent variables) records revealed an optimal set of binary variables for the identification of DD. These variables are combinations of the following primary variables: the calendar month, ground-level relative humidity (RH), the aerosol optical depth (AOD) from MODIS, and the aerosol absorbing index (AAI) from OMI. A logistic regression that uses these variables, coded as binary

Vertical Profile of Aerosol Properties at Pico Mountain, Azores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wright, K.; Mazzoleni, C.; Mazzoleni, L. R.; Dzepina, K.; Hueber, J.; China, S.; Sharma, N.

2013-12-01

Pico Mountain (2325m asl) is a dormant volcano in the archipelago of the Azores1500 km west of Lisbon, Portugal in the North Atlantic. It differs from typical mountain ranges such as the Alps or the Rockies, which are large and present a complex orography. Pico Mountain has a simple cone-like structure with only one main peak and is thousands of kilometers away from any other significant mountain range. In summer months, it is typical for air masses to move around the mountain rather than traveling up its face. This implies that often the peak of the mountain lies above the marine boundary layer in the free troposphere, while the lower part of the mountain is affected by marine clouds and marine air-masses. An atmospheric monitoring station, the Pico Mountain Observatory was established in 2001 in the summit caldera of the volcano at 2225m above sea level. The observatory is far from large populations or pollution sources, which makes the station ideal to study atmospheric gases and aerosols transported over long-ranges in the free troposphere. The station is reachable only by foot following a steep and strenuous hiking trail. In the summer of 2013 we began to collect vertical profiles of aerosol by carrying an instrumented backpack up to the summit of the mountain, with the goal of studying the vertical structure of atmospheric aerosols from the marine boundary layer to the free troposphere. The backpack was carried from the base of trail at 1200m asl. The backpack was equipped with the following instruments: 1. Nephelometer to measure light scattering from aerosol 2. 2-size optical particle counter (300-500 nm) 3. Portable micro-aethalometer to measure absorbing aerosols 4. SEM/TEM sampler to collect particles for off-line electron microscopy analysis 5. Battery powered data logger to measure relative humidity, temperature and pressure 6. GPS tracking device We provide a preliminary analysis of data collected in 2013 to gain insight on the vertical distribution

Instrumentation for full-year plot-scale runoff monitoring

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Replicated 0.34 ha cropping systems plots have been in place since 1991 at the USDA-ARS Goodwater Creek Experimental Watershed in central Missouri. Recently, instrumentation has been installed at 18 of those plots for continuous runoff water quality and quantity monitoring. That installation require...

Aerosol-type retrieval and uncertainty quantification from OMI data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kauppi, Anu; Kolmonen, Pekka; Laine, Marko; Tamminen, Johanna

2017-11-01

We discuss uncertainty quantification for aerosol-type selection in satellite-based atmospheric aerosol retrieval. The retrieval procedure uses precalculated aerosol microphysical models stored in look-up tables (LUTs) and top-of-atmosphere (TOA) spectral reflectance measurements to solve the aerosol characteristics. The forward model approximations cause systematic differences between the modelled and observed reflectance. Acknowledging this model discrepancy as a source of uncertainty allows us to produce more realistic uncertainty estimates and assists the selection of the most appropriate LUTs for each individual retrieval.This paper focuses on the aerosol microphysical model selection and characterisation of uncertainty in the retrieved aerosol type and aerosol optical depth (AOD). The concept of model evidence is used as a tool for model comparison. The method is based on Bayesian inference approach, in which all uncertainties are described as a posterior probability distribution. When there is no single best-matching aerosol microphysical model, we use a statistical technique based on Bayesian model averaging to combine AOD posterior probability densities of the best-fitting models to obtain an averaged AOD estimate. We also determine the shared evidence of the best-matching models of a certain main aerosol type in order to quantify how plausible it is that it represents the underlying atmospheric aerosol conditions.The developed method is applied to Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) measurements using a multiwavelength approach for retrieving the aerosol type and AOD estimate with uncertainty quantification for cloud-free over-land pixels. Several larger pixel set areas were studied in order to investigate the robustness of the developed method. We evaluated the retrieved AOD by comparison with ground-based measurements at example sites. We found that the uncertainty of AOD expressed by posterior probability distribution reflects the difficulty in model

Aerosol Measurements by the Globally Distributed Micro Pulse Lidar Network

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spinhirne, James; Welton, Judd; Campbell, James; Berkoff, Tim; Starr, David (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Full time measurements of the vertical distribution of aerosol are now being acquired at a number of globally distributed MP (micro pulse) lidar sites. The MP lidar systems provide full time profiling of all significant cloud and aerosol to the limit of signal attenuation from compact, eye safe instruments. There are currently eight sites in operation and over a dozen planned. At all sited there are also passive aerosol and radiation measurements supporting the lidar data. Four of the installations are at Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program sites. The network operation includes instrument operation and calibration and the processing of aerosol measurements with standard retrievals and data products from the network sites. Data products include optical thickness and extinction cross section profiles. Application of data is to supplement satellite aerosol measurements and to provide a climatology of the height distribution of aerosol. The height distribution of aerosol is important for aerosol transport and the direct scattering and absorption of shortwave radiation in the atmosphere. Current satellite and other data already provide a great amount of information on aerosol distribution, but no passive technique can adequately resolve the height profile of aerosol. The Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) is an orbital lidar to be launched in early 2002. GLAS will provide global measurements of the height distribution of aerosol. The MP lidar network will provide ground truth and analysis support for GLAS and other NASA Earth Observing System data. The instruments, sites, calibration procedures and standard data product algorithms for the MPL network will be described.

Measuring aerosols generated inside armoured vehicles perforated by depleted uranium ammunition.

PubMed

Parkhurst, M A

2003-01-01

In response to questions raised after the Gulf War about the health significance of exposure to depleted uranium (DU), the US Department of Defense initiated a study designed to provide an improved scientific basis for assessment of possible health effects on soldiers in vehicles struck by these munitions. As part of this study, a series of DU penetrators were fired at an Abrams tank and a Bradley fighting vehicle, and the aerosols generated by vehicle perforation were collected and characterised. A robust sampling system was designed to collect aerosols in this difficult environment and monitor continuously the sampler flow rates. The aerosol samplers selected for these tests included filter cassettes, cascade impactors, a five-stage cyclone and a moving filter. Sampler redundancy was an integral part of the sampling system to offset losses from fragment damage. Wipe surveys and deposition trays collected removable deposited particulate matter. Interior aerosols were analysed for uranium concentration and particle size distribution as a function of time. They were also analysed for uranium oxide phases, particle morphology and dissolution in vitro. These data, currently under independent peer review, will provide input for future prospective and retrospective dose and health risk assessments of inhaled or ingested DU aerosols. This paper briefly discusses the target vehicles, firing trajectories, aerosol samplers and instrumentation control systems, and the types of analyses conducted on the samples.

Pollutants identification of ambient aerosols by two types of aerosol mass spectrometers over southeast coastal area, China.

PubMed

Yan, Jinpei; Chen, Liqi; Lin, Qi; Zhao, Shuhui; Li, Lei

2018-02-01

Two different aerosol mass spectrometers, Aerodyne Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS) and Single Particle Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (SPAMS) were deployed to identify the aerosol pollutants over Xiamen, representing the coastal urban area. Five obvious processes were classified during the whole observation period. Organics and sulfate were the dominant components in ambient aerosols over Xiamen. Most of the particles were in the size range of 0.2-1.0μm, accounting for over 97% of the total particles measured by both instruments. Organics, as well as sulfate, measured by AMS were in good correlation with measured by SPAMS. However, high concentration of NH 4 + was obtained by AMS, while extremely low value of NH 4 + was detected by SPAMS. Contrarily, high particle number counts of NO 3 - and Cl - were given by SPAMS while low concentrations of NO 3 - and Cl - were measured by AMS. The variations of POA and SOA obtained from SPAMS during event 1 and event 2 were in accordance with the analysis of HOA and OOA given by AMS, suggesting that both of AMS and SPAMS can well identify the organic clusters of aerosol particles. Overestimate or underestimate of the aerosol sources and acidity would be present in some circumstances when the measurement results were used to analyze the aerosol properties, because of the detection loss of some species for both instruments. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Retrieving Aerosol in a Cloudy Environment: Aerosol Availability as a Function of Spatial and Temporal Resolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Remer, Lorraine A.; Mattoo, Shana; Levy, Robert C.; Heidinger, Andrew; Pierce, R. Bradley; Chin, Mian

2011-01-01

The challenge of using satellite observations to retrieve aerosol properties in a cloudy environment is to prevent contamination of the aerosol signal from clouds, while maintaining sufficient aerosol product yield to satisfy specific applications. We investigate aerosol retrieval availability at different instrument pixel resolutions, using the standard MODIS aerosol cloud mask applied to MODIS data and a new GOES-R cloud mask applied to GOES data for a domain covering North America and surrounding oceans. Aerosol availability is not the same as the cloud free fraction and takes into account the technqiues used in the MODIS algorithm to avoid clouds, reduce noise and maintain sufficient numbers of aerosol retrievals. The inherent spatial resolution of each instrument, 0.5x0.5 km for MODIS and 1x1 km for GOES, is systematically degraded to 1x1 km, 2x2 km, 4x4 km and 8x8 km resolutions and then analyzed as to how that degradation would affect the availability of an aerosol retrieval, assuming an aerosol product resolution at 8x8 km. The results show that as pixel size increases, availability decreases until at 8x8 km 70% to 85% of the retrievals available at 0.5 km have been lost. The diurnal pattern of aerosol retrieval availability examined for one day in the summer suggests that coarse resolution sensors (i.e., 4x4 km or 8x8 km) may be able to retrieve aerosol early in the morning that would otherwise be missed at the time of current polar orbiting satellites, but not the diurnal aerosol properties due to cloud cover developed during the day. In contrast finer resolution sensors (i.e., 1x1 km or 2x2 km) have much better opportunity to retrieve aerosols in the partly cloudy scenes and better chance of returning the diurnal aerosol properties. Large differences in the results of the two cloud masks designed for MODIS aerosol and GOES cloud products strongly reinforce that cloud masks must be developed with specific purposes in mind and that a generic cloud mask

Influence of Aerosols And Surface Reflectance On NO2 Retrieval Over China From 2005 to 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, M.; Lin, J.

2016-12-01

Satellite observation is a powerful way to analysis annual and seasonal variations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2). However, much retrieval of vertical column densities (VCDs) of normally do not explicitly account for aerosol optical effects and surface reflectance anisotropy that vary with space and time. In traditional retrieval, aerosols' effects are often considered as cloud. However, China has complicated aerosols type and aerosol loading. Their optical properties may be very different from the cloud. Furthermore, China has undergone big changes in land use type in recent 10 years. Traditional climatology surface reflectance data may not have representation. In order to study spatial-temporal variation of and influences of these two factors on variations and trends, we use an improved retrieval method of VCDs over China, called the POMINO, based on measurements from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), and we compare the results of without aerosol, without surface reflectance treatments and without both to the original POMINO product from 2005 to 2015. Furthermore, we will study correspondent spatial-temporal variations of aerosols, represented by MODIS aerosol optical depth (AOD) data and CALIOP extinction data; surface reflectance, represented by MODIS bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) data.

MODIS Aerosol Optical Depth Bias Adjustment Using Machine Learning Algorithms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Albayrak, Arif; Wei, Jennifer; Petrenko, Maksym; Lary, David; Leptoukh, Gregory

2011-01-01

To monitor the earth atmosphere and its surface changes, satellite based instruments collect continuous data. While some of the data is directly used, some others such as aerosol properties are indirectly retrieved from the observation data. While retrieved variables (RV) form very powerful products, they don't come without obstacles. Different satellite viewing geometries, calibration issues, dynamically changing atmospheric and earth surface conditions, together with complex interactions between observed entities and their environment affect them greatly. This results in random and systematic errors in the final products.

Field Studies of Broadband Aerosol Optical Extinction in the Ultraviolet Spectral Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Washenfelder, R. A.; Attwood, A.; Brock, C. A.; Brown, S. S.

2013-12-01

Aerosols influence the Earth's radiative budget by scattering and absorbing incoming solar radiation. The optical properties of aerosols vary as a function of wavelength, but few measurements have reported the wavelength dependence of aerosol extinction cross sections and complex refractive indices. In the case of brown carbon, its wavelength-dependent absorption in the ultraviolet spectral region has been suggested as an important component of aerosol radiative forcing. We describe a new field instrument to measure aerosol optical extinction as a function of wavelength, using cavity enhanced spectroscopy with a broadband light source. The instrument consists of two broadband channels which span the 360-390 and 385-420 nm spectral regions using two light emitting diodes (LED) and a grating spectrometer with charge-coupled device (CCD) detector. We deployed this instrument during the Fire Lab at Missoula Experiment during Fall 2012 to measure biomass burning aerosol, and again during the Southern Oxidant and Aerosol Study in summer 2013 to measure organic aerosol in the Southeastern U.S. In both field experiments, we determined aerosol optical extinction as a function of wavelength and can interpret this together with size distribution and composition measurements to characterize the aerosol optical properties and radiative forcing.

Measurements of aerosol chemical composition in boreal forest summer conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

ńijälä, M.; Junninen, H.; Ehn, M.; Petäjä, T.; Vogel, A.; Hoffmann, T.; Corrigan, A.; Russell, L.; Makkonen, U.; Virkkula, A.; Mäntykenttä, J.; Kulmala, M.; Worsnop, D.

2012-04-01

Boreal forests are an important biome, covering vast areas of the northern hemisphere and affecting the global climate change via various feedbacks [1]. Despite having relatively few anthropogenic primary aerosol sources, they always contain a non-negligible aerosol population [2]. This study describes aerosol chemical composition measurements using Aerodyne Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (C-ToF AMS, [3]), carried out at a boreal forest area in Hyytiälä, Southern Finland. The site, Helsinki University SMEAR II measurement station [4], is situated at a homogeneous Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) forest stand. In addition to the station's permanent aerosol, gas phase and meteorological instruments, during the HUMPPA (Hyytiälä United Measurements of Photochemistry and Particles in Air) campaign in July 2010, a very comprehensive set of atmospheric chemistry measurement instrumentation was provided by the Max Planck Institute for chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg-University, University of California and the Finnish Meteorological institute. In this study aerosol chemical composition measurements from the campaign are presented. The dominant aerosol chemical species during the campaign were the organics, although periods with elevated amounts of particulate sulfates were also seen. The overall AMS measured particle mass concentrations varied from near zero to 27 μg/m observed during a forest fire smoke episode. The AMS measured aerosol mass loadings were found to agree well with DMPS derived mass concentrations (r2=0.998). The AMS data was also compared with three other aerosol instruments. The Marga instrument [5] was used to provide a quantitative semi-online measurement of inorganic chemical compounds in particle phase. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis was performed on daily filter samples, enabling the identification and quantification of organic aerosol subspecies. Finally an Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer (APCI

CALIPSO: Global Aerosol and Cloud Observations from Lidar and Passive Instruments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poole, L. R.; Winker, D. M.; Pelon, J. R.; McCormick, M. P.

2002-01-01

CALIPSO (Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Spaceborne Observations) is an approved satellite mission being developed through collaboration between NASA and the French space agency CNES. The mission is scheduled for launch in 2004 and will operate for 3 years as part of a five-satellite formation called the Aqua constellation. This constellation will provide a unique data set on aerosol and cloud optical and physical properties and aerosol-cloud interactions that will substantially increase our understanding of the climate system and the potential for climate change.

Open-path, closed-path and reconstructed aerosol extinction at a rural site.

PubMed

Gordon, Timothy D; Prenni, Anthony J; Renfro, James R; McClure, Ethan; Hicks, Bill; Onasch, Timothy B; Freedman, Andrew; McMeeking, Gavin R; Chen, Ping

2018-04-09

The Handix Scientific Open-Path Cavity Ringdown Spectrometer (OPCRDS) was deployed during summer 2016 in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM). Extinction coefficients from the relatively new OPCRDS and from a more well-established extinction instrument agreed to within 7%. Aerosol hygroscopic growth (f(RH)) was calculated from the ratio of ambient extinction measured by the OPCRDS to dry extinction measured by a closed-path extinction monitor (Aerodyne's Cavity Attenuated Phase Shift Particulate Matter Extinction Monitor, CAPS PMex). Derived hygroscopicity (RH < 95%) from this campaign agreed with data from 1995 at the same site and time of year, which is noteworthy given the decreasing trend for organics and sulfate in the eastern U.S. However, maximum f(RH) values in 1995 were less than half as large as those recorded in 2016-possibly due to nephelometer truncation losses in 1995. Two hygroscopicity parameterizations were investigated using high time resolution OPCRDS+CAPS PMex data, and the K ext model was more accurate than the γ model. Data from the two ambient optical instruments, the OPCRDS and the open-path nephelometer, generally agreed; however, significant discrepancies between ambient scattering and extinction were observed, apparently driven by a combination of hygroscopic growth effects, which tend to increase nephelometer truncation losses and decrease sensitivity to the wavelength difference between the two instruments as a function of particle size. There was not a statistically significant difference in the mean reconstructed extinction values obtained from the original and the revised IMPROVE (Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments) equations. On average IMPROVE reconstructed extinction was ~25% lower than extinction measured by the OPCRDS, which suggests that the IMPROVE equations and 24-hr aerosol data are moderately successful in estimating current haze levels at GRSM. However, this conclusion is limited by the coarse

Physical and performance characteristics of instruments selected for global change monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Cheryl L.

1991-01-01

The following appendix (appendix B) lists the instruments chosen for the Global Change Monitoring program. The instruments are described according to the following categories: (1) Title; (2) Measurement; (3) Contact; (4) Instrument Type; (5) Dimensions; (6) Mass; (7) Average Operational Power; (8) Data Rate; (9) Spectral/Frequency Range; (10) Number of Channels/Frequencies; (11) Viewing Field; (12) Scanning Characteristics; (13) Resolution (Horizontal/Vertical); (14) Swath Width; (15) Satellite Application; and (16) Technology Status. A technical drawing of each instrument is also provided.

Ground truth methods for optical cross-section modeling of biological aerosols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalter, J.; Thrush, E.; Santarpia, J.; Chaudhry, Z.; Gilberry, J.; Brown, D. M.; Brown, A.; Carter, C. C.

2011-05-01

Light detection and ranging (LIDAR) systems have demonstrated some capability to meet the needs of a fastresponse standoff biological detection method for simulants in open air conditions. These systems are designed to exploit various cloud signatures, such as differential elastic backscatter, fluorescence, and depolarization in order to detect biological warfare agents (BWAs). However, because the release of BWAs in open air is forbidden, methods must be developed to predict candidate system performance against real agents. In support of such efforts, the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab (JHU/APL) has developed a modeling approach to predict the optical properties of agent materials from relatively simple, Biosafety Level 3-compatible bench top measurements. JHU/APL has fielded new ground truth instruments (in addition to standard particle sizers, such as the Aerodynamic particle sizer (APS) or GRIMM aerosol monitor (GRIMM)) to more thoroughly characterize the simulant aerosols released in recent field tests at Dugway Proving Ground (DPG). These instruments include the Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS), the Ultraviolet Aerodynamic Particle Sizer (UVAPS), and the Aspect Aerosol Size and Shape Analyser (Aspect). The SMPS was employed as a means of measuring smallparticle concentrations for more accurate Mie scattering simulations; the UVAPS, which measures size-resolved fluorescence intensity, was employed as a path toward fluorescence cross section modeling; and the Aspect, which measures particle shape, was employed as a path towards depolarization modeling.

Identification of secondary aerosol precursors emitted by an aircraft turbofan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kılıç, Doğuşhan; El Haddad, Imad; Brem, Benjamin T.; Bruns, Emily; Bozetti, Carlo; Corbin, Joel; Durdina, Lukas; Huang, Ru-Jin; Jiang, Jianhui; Klein, Felix; Lavi, Avi; Pieber, Simone M.; Rindlisbacher, Theo; Rudich, Yinon; Slowik, Jay G.; Wang, Jing; Baltensperger, Urs; Prévôt, Andre S. H.

2018-05-01

Oxidative processing of aircraft turbine-engine exhausts was studied using a potential aerosol mass (PAM) chamber at different engine loads corresponding to typical flight operations. Measurements were conducted at an engine test cell. Organic gases (OGs) and particle emissions pre- and post-PAM were measured. A suite of instruments, including a proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometer (PTR-MS) for OGs, a multigas analyzer for CO, CO2, NOx, and an aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) for nonrefractory particulate matter (NR-PM1) were used. Total aerosol mass was dominated by secondary aerosol formation, which was approximately 2 orders of magnitude higher than the primary aerosol. The chemical composition of both gaseous and particle emissions were also monitored at different engine loads and were thrust-dependent. At idling load (thrust 2.5-7 %), more than 90 % of the secondary particle mass was organic and could mostly be explained by the oxidation of gaseous aromatic species, e.g., benzene; toluene; xylenes; tri-, tetra-, and pentamethyl-benzene; and naphthalene. The oxygenated-aromatics, e.g., phenol, furans, were also included in this aromatic fraction and their oxidation could alone explain up to 25 % of the secondary organic particle mass at idling loads. The organic fraction decreased with thrust level, while the inorganic fraction increased. At an approximated cruise load sulfates comprised 85 % of the total secondary particle mass.

Comparing multiple model-derived aerosol optical properties to spatially collocated ground-based and satellite measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ocko, Ilissa B.; Ginoux, Paul A.

2017-04-01

Anthropogenic aerosols are a key factor governing Earth's climate and play a central role in human-caused climate change. However, because of aerosols' complex physical, optical, and dynamical properties, aerosols are one of the most uncertain aspects of climate modeling. Fortunately, aerosol measurement networks over the past few decades have led to the establishment of long-term observations for numerous locations worldwide. Further, the availability of datasets from several different measurement techniques (such as ground-based and satellite instruments) can help scientists increasingly improve modeling efforts. This study explores the value of evaluating several model-simulated aerosol properties with data from spatially collocated instruments. We compare aerosol optical depth (AOD; total, scattering, and absorption), single-scattering albedo (SSA), Ångström exponent (α), and extinction vertical profiles in two prominent global climate models (Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, GFDL, CM2.1 and CM3) to seasonal observations from collocated instruments (AErosol RObotic NETwork, AERONET, and Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization, CALIOP) at seven polluted and biomass burning regions worldwide. We find that a multi-parameter evaluation provides key insights on model biases, data from collocated instruments can reveal underlying aerosol-governing physics, column properties wash out important vertical distinctions, and improved models does not mean all aspects are improved. We conclude that it is important to make use of all available data (parameters and instruments) when evaluating aerosol properties derived by models.

Remote Sensing of Aerosol and Non-Aerosol Absorption

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufman, Y. J.; Dubovik, O.; Holben, B. N.; Remer, L. A.; Tanre, D.; Lau, William K. M. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Remote sensing of aerosol from the new satellite instruments (e.g. MODIS from Terra) and ground based radiometers (e.g. the AERONET) provides the opportunity to measure the absorption characteristics of the ambient undisturbed aerosol in the entire atmospheric column. For example Landsat and AERONET data are used to measure spectral absorption of sunlight by dust from West Africa. Both Application of the Landsat and AERONET data demonstrate that Saharan dust absorption of solar radiation is several times smaller than the current international standards. This is due to difficulties of measuring dust absorption in situ, and due to the often contamination of dust properties by the presence of air pollution or smoke. We use the remotely sensed aerosol absorption properties described by the spectral sin le scattering albedo, together with statistics of the monthly optical thickness for the fine and coarse aerosol derived from the MODIS data. The result is an estimate of the flux of solar radiation absorbed by the aerosol layer in different regions around the globe where aerosol is prevalent. If this aerosol forcing through absorption is not included in global circulation models, it may be interpreted as anomalous absorption in these regions. In a preliminary exercise we also use the absorption measurements by AERONET, to derive the non-aerosol absorption of the atmosphere in cloud free conditions. The results are obtained for the atmospheric windows: 0.44 microns, 0.66 microns, 0.86 microns and 1.05 microns. In all the locations over the land and ocean that were tested no anomalous absorption in these wavelengths, was found within absorption optical thickness of +/- 0.005.

Method and apparatus for continuous fluid leak monitoring and detection in analytical instruments and instrument systems

DOEpatents

Weitz, Karl K [Pasco, WA; Moore, Ronald J [West Richland, WA

2010-07-13

A method and device are disclosed that provide for detection of fluid leaks in analytical instruments and instrument systems. The leak detection device includes a collection tube, a fluid absorbing material, and a circuit that electrically couples to an indicator device. When assembled, the leak detection device detects and monitors for fluid leaks, providing a preselected response in conjunction with the indicator device when contacted by a fluid.

Spectrally-resolved measurements of aerosol extinction at ultraviolet and visible wavelengths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flores, M.; Washenfelder, R. A.; Brock, C. A.; Brown, S. S.; Rudich, Y.

2012-12-01

Aerosols play an important role in the Earth's radiative budget. Aerosol extinction includes both the scattering and absorption of light, and these vary with wavelength, aerosol diameter, and aerosol composition. Historically, aerosol absorption has been measured using filter-based or extraction methods that are prone to artifacts. There have been few investigations of ambient aerosol optical properties at the blue end of the visible spectrum and into the ultraviolet. Brown carbon is particularly important in this spectral region, because it both absorbs and scatters light, and encompasses a large and variable group of organic compounds from biomass burning and secondary organic aerosol. We have developed a laboratory instrument that combines new, high-power LED light sources with high-finesse optical cavities to achieve sensitive measurements of aerosol optical extinction. This instrument contains two broadband channels, with spectral coverage from 360 - 390 nm and 385 - 420 nm. Using this instrument, we report aerosol extinction in the ultraviolet and near-visible spectral region as a function of chemical composition and structure. We have measured the extinction cross-sections between 360 - 420 nm with 0.5 nm resolution using different sizes and concentrations of polystyrene latex spheres, ammonium sulfate, and Suwannee River fulvic acid. Fitting the real and imaginary part of the refractive index allows the absorption and scattering to be determined.

[Design and implementation of real-time continuous glucose monitoring instrument].

PubMed

Huang, Yonghong; Liu, Hongying; Tian, Senfu; Jia, Ziru; Wang, Zi; Pi, Xitian

2017-12-01

Real-time continuous glucose monitoring can help diabetics to control blood sugar levels within the normal range. However, in the process of practical monitoring, the output of real-time continuous glucose monitoring system is susceptible to glucose sensor and environment noise, which will influence the measurement accuracy of the system. Aiming at this problem, a dual-calibration algorithm for the moving-window double-layer filtering algorithm combined with real-time self-compensation calibration algorithm is proposed in this paper, which can realize the signal drift compensation for current data. And a real-time continuous glucose monitoring instrument based on this study was designed. This real-time continuous glucose monitoring instrument consisted of an adjustable excitation voltage module, a current-voltage converter module, a microprocessor and a wireless transceiver module. For portability, the size of the device was only 40 mm × 30 mm × 5 mm and its weight was only 30 g. In addition, a communication command code algorithm was designed to ensure the security and integrity of data transmission in this study. Results of experiments in vitro showed that current detection of the device worked effectively. A 5-hour monitoring of blood glucose level in vivo showed that the device could continuously monitor blood glucose in real time. The relative error of monitoring results of the designed device ranged from 2.22% to 7.17% when comparing to a portable blood meter.

Assessment of 10-Year Global Record of Aerosol Products from the OMI Near-UV Algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahn, C.; Torres, O.; Jethva, H. T.

2014-12-01

Global observations of aerosol properties from space are critical for understanding climate change and air quality applications. The Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) onboard the EOS-Aura satellite provides information on aerosol optical properties by making use of the large sensitivity to aerosol absorption and dark surface albedo in the UV spectral region. These unique features enable us to retrieve both aerosol extinction optical depth (AOD) and single scattering albedo (SSA) successfully from radiance measurements at 354 and 388 nm by the OMI near UV aerosol algorithm (OMAERUV). Recent improvements to algorithms in conjunction with the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) and Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) carbon monoxide data also reduce uncertainties due to aerosol layer heights and types significantly in retrieved products. We present validation results of OMI AOD against space and time collocated Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) measured AOD values over multiple stations representing major aerosol episodes and regimes. We also compare the OMI SSA against the inversion made by AERONET as well as an independent network of ground-based radiometer called SKYNET in Japan, China, South-East Asia, India, and Europe. The outcome of the evaluation analysis indicates that in spite of the "row anomaly" problem, affecting the sensor since mid-2007, the long-term aerosol record shows remarkable sensor stability. The OMAERUV 10-year global aerosol record is publicly available at the NASA data service center web site (http://disc.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/Aura/data-holdings/OMI/omaeruv_v003.shtml).

CATS Aerosol Typing and Future Directions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McGill, Matt; Yorks, John; Scott, Stan; Palm, Stephen; Hlavka, Dennis; Hart, William; Nowottnick, Ed; Selmer, Patrick; Kupchock, Andrew; Midzak, Natalie;

Long-term measurements of submicrometer aerosol chemistry at the Southern Great Plains (SGP) using an Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM)

DOE PAGES

Parworth, Caroline; Tilp, Alison; Fast, Jerome; ...

2015-04-01

In this study the long-term trends of non-refractory submicrometer aerosol (NR-PM1) composition and mass concentration measured by an Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM) at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program's Southern Great Plains (SGP) site are discussed. NR-PM1 data was recorded at ~30 min intervals over a period of 19 months between November 2010 and June 2012. Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) was performed on the measured organic mass spectral matrix using a rolling window technique to derive factors associated with distinct sources, evolution processes, and physiochemical properties. The rolling window approach also allows us to capture the dynamic variations ofmore » the chemical properties in the organic aerosol (OA) factors over time. Three OA factors were obtained including two oxygenated OA (OOA) factors, differing in degrees of oxidation, and a biomass burning OA (BBOA) factor. Back trajectory analyses were performed to investigate possible sources of major NR-PM1 species at the SGP site. Organics dominated NR-PM1 mass concentration for the majority of the study with the exception of winter, when ammonium nitrate increases due to transport of precursor species from surrounding urban and agricultural areas and also due to cooler temperatures. Sulfate mass concentrations have little seasonal variation with mixed regional and local sources. In the spring BBOA emissions increase and are mainly associated with local fires. Isoprene and carbon monoxide emission rates were obtained by the Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature (MEGAN) and the 2011 U.S. National Emissions Inventory to represent the spatial distribution of biogenic and anthropogenic sources, respectively. The combined spatial distribution of isoprene emissions and air mass trajectories suggest that biogenic emissions from the southeast contribute to SOA formation at the SGP site during the summer.« less

Improvement of Raman lidar algorithm for quantifying aerosol extinction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Russo, Felicita; Whiteman, David; Demoz, Belay; Hoff, Raymond

2005-01-01

Aerosols are particles of different composition and origin and influence the formation of clouds which are important in atmospheric radiative balance. At the present there is high uncertainty on the effect of aerosols on climate and this is mainly due to the fact that aerosol presence in the atmosphere can be highly variable in space and time. Monitoring of the aerosols in the atmosphere is necessary to better understanding many of these uncertainties. A lidar (an instrument that uses light to detect the extent of atmospheric aerosol loading) can be particularly useful to monitor aerosols in the atmosphere since it is capable to record the scattered intensity as a function of altitude from molecules and aerosols. One lidar method (the Raman lidar) makes use of the different wavelength changes that occur when light interacts with the varying chemistry and structure of atmospheric aerosols. One quantity that is indicative of aerosol presence is the aerosol extinction which quantifies the amount of attenuation (removal of photons), due to scattering, that light undergoes when propagating in the atmosphere. It can be directly measured with a Raman lidar using the wavelength dependence of the received signal. In order to calculate aerosol extinction from Raman scattering data it is necessary to evaluate the rate of change (derivative) of a Raman signal with respect to altitude. Since derivatives are defined for continuous functions, they cannot be performed directly on the experimental data which are not continuous. The most popular technique to find the functional behavior of experimental data is the least-square fit. This procedure allows finding a polynomial function which better approximate the experimental data. The typical approach in the lidar community is to make an a priori assumption about the functional behavior of the data in order to calculate the derivative. It has been shown in previous work that the use of the chi-square technique to determine the most

Can Aerosol Direct Radiative Effects Account for Analysis Increments of Temperature in the Tropical Atlantic?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

da Silva, Arlindo M.; Alpert, Pinhas

2016-01-01

In the late 1990's, prior to the launch of the Terra satellite, atmospheric general circulation models (GCMs) did not include aerosol processes because aerosols were not properly monitored on a global scale and their spatial distributions were not known well enough for their incorporation in operational GCMs. At the time of the first GEOS Reanalysis (Schubert et al. 1993), long time series of analysis increments (the corrections to the atmospheric state by all available meteorological observations) became readily available, enabling detailed analysis of the GEOS-1 errors on a global scale. Such analysis revealed that temperature biases were particularly pronounced in the Tropical Atlantic region, with patterns depicting a remarkable similarity to dust plumes emanating from the African continent as evidenced by TOMS aerosol index maps. Yoram Kaufman was instrumental encouraging us to pursue this issue further, resulting in the study reported in Alpert et al. (1998) where we attempted to assess aerosol forcing by studying the errors of a the GEOS-1 GCM without aerosol physics within a data assimilation system. Based on this analysis, Alpert et al. (1998) put forward that dust aerosols are an important source of inaccuracies in numerical weather-prediction models in the Tropical Atlantic region, although a direct verification of this hypothesis was not possible back then. Nearly 20 years later, numerical prediction models have increased in resolution and complexity of physical parameterizations, including the representation of aerosols and their interactions with the circulation. Moreover, with the advent of NASA's EOS program and subsequent satellites, atmospheric aerosols are now monitored globally on a routine basis, and their assimilation in global models are becoming well established. In this talk we will reexamine the Alpert et al. (1998) hypothesis using the most recent version of the GEOS-5 Data Assimilation System with assimilation of aerosols. We will

Aerosol data assimilation in the chemical transport model MOCAGE during the TRAQA/ChArMEx campaign: aerosol optical depth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sič, Bojan; El Amraoui, Laaziz; Piacentini, Andrea; Marécal, Virginie; Emili, Emanuele; Cariolle, Daniel; Prather, Michael; Attié, Jean-Luc

2016-11-01

In this study, we describe the development of the aerosol optical depth (AOD) assimilation module in the chemistry transport model (CTM) MOCAGE (Modèle de Chimie Atmosphérique à Grande Echelle). Our goal is to assimilate the spatially averaged 2-D column AOD data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument, and to estimate improvements in a 3-D CTM assimilation run compared to a direct model run. Our assimilation system uses 3-D-FGAT (first guess at appropriate time) as an assimilation method and the total 3-D aerosol concentration as a control variable. In order to have an extensive validation dataset, we carried out our experiment in the northern summer of 2012 when the pre-ChArMEx (CHemistry and AeRosol MEditerranean EXperiment) field campaign TRAQA (TRAnsport à longue distance et Qualité de l'Air dans le bassin méditerranéen) took place in the western Mediterranean basin. The assimilated model run is evaluated independently against a range of aerosol properties (2-D and 3-D) measured by in situ instruments (the TRAQA size-resolved balloon and aircraft measurements), the satellite Spinning Enhanced Visible and InfraRed Imager (SEVIRI) instrument and ground-based instruments from the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) network. The evaluation demonstrates that the AOD assimilation greatly improves aerosol representation in the model. For example, the comparison of the direct and the assimilated model run with AERONET data shows that the assimilation increased the correlation (from 0.74 to 0.88), and reduced the bias (from 0.050 to 0.006) and the root mean square error in the AOD (from 0.12 to 0.07). When compared to the 3-D concentration data obtained by the in situ aircraft and balloon measurements, the assimilation consistently improves the model output. The best results as expected occur when the shape of the vertical profile is correctly simulated by the direct model. We

The Aerosol Coarse Mode Initiative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnott, W. P.; Adhikari, N.; Air, D.; Kassianov, E.; Barnard, J.

2014-12-01

Many areas of the world show an aerosol volume distribution with a significant coarse mode and sometimes a dominant coarse mode. The large coarse mode is usually due to dust, but sea salt aerosol can also play an important role. However, in many field campaigns, the coarse mode tends to be ignored, because it is difficult to measure. This lack of measurements leads directly to a concomitant "lack of analysis" of this mode. Because, coarse mode aerosols can have significant effects on radiative forcing, both in the shortwave and longwave spectrum, the coarse mode -- and these forcings -- should be accounted for in atmospheric models. Forcings based only on fine mode aerosols have the potential to be misleading. In this paper we describe examples of large coarse modes that occur in areas of large aerosol loading (Mexico City, Barnard et al., 2010) as well as small loadings (Sacramento, CA; Kassianov et al., 2012; and Reno, NV). We then demonstrate that: (1) the coarse mode can contribute significantly to radiative forcing, relative to the fine mode, and (2) neglecting the coarse mode may result in poor comparisons between measurements and models. Next we describe -- in general terms -- the limitations of instrumentation to measure the coarse mode. Finally, we suggest a new initiative aimed at examining coarse mode aerosol generation mechanisms; transport and deposition; chemical composition; visible and thermal IR refractive indices; morphology; microphysical behavior when deposited on snow and ice; and specific instrumentation needs. Barnard, J. C., J. D. Fast, G. Paredes-Miranda, W. P. Arnott, and A. Laskin, 2010: Technical Note: Evaluation of the WRF-Chem "Aerosol Chemical to Aerosol Optical Properties" Module using data from the MILAGRO campaign, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 10, 7325-7340. Kassianov, E. I., M. S. Pekour, and J. C. Barnard, 2012: Aerosols in Central California: Unexpectedly large contribution of coarse mode to aerosol radiative forcing

Remote sensing of aerosols over land surfaces from POLDER-ADEOS-1 polarized measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deuzé, J. L.; BréOn, F. M.; Devaux, C.; Goloub, P.; Herman, M.; Lafrance, B.; Maignan, F.; Marchand, A.; Nadal, F.; Perry, G.; Tanré, D.

2001-03-01

The polarization measurements achieved by the POLDER instrument on ADEOS-1 are used for the remote sensing of aerosols over land surfaces. The key advantage of using polarized observations is their ability to systematically correct for the ground contribution, whereas the classical approach using natural light fails. The estimation of land surface polarizing properties from POLDER has been examined in a previous paper. Here we consider how the optical thickness δ0 and Ångstrom exponent α of aerosols are derived from the polarized light backscattered by the particles. The inversion scheme is detailed, and illustrative results are presented. Maps of the retrieved optical thickness allow for detection of large aerosol features, and in the case of small aerosols, the δ0 and α retrievals are consistent with correlative ground-based measurements. However, because polarized light stems mainly from small particles, the results are biased for aerosol distributions containing coarser modes of particles. To overcome this limitation, an aerosol index defined as the product AI = δ0α is proposed. Theoretical analysis and comparison with ground-based measurements suggest that AI is approximately the same when using δ0, and α is related to the entire aerosol size distribution or derived from the polarized light originating from the small polarizing particles alone. This invariance is specially assessed by testing the continuity of AI across coastlines, given the unbiased properties of aerosol retrieval over ocean. Although reducing the information concerning the aerosols, this single parameter allows a link between the POLDER aerosol surveys over land and ocean. POLDER aerosol index global maps enable the monitoring of major aerosol sources over continental areas.

Two years of near real-time chemical composition of submicron aerosols in the region of Paris using an Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM) and a multi-wavelength Aethalometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petit, J.-E.; Favez, O.; Sciare, J.; Crenn, V.; Sarda-Estève, R.; Bonnaire, N.; Močnik, G.; Dupont, J.-C.; Haeffelin, M.; Leoz-Garziandia, E.

2015-03-01

Aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) measurements have been successfully used towards a better understanding of non-refractory submicron (PM1) aerosol chemical properties based on short-term campaigns. The recently developed Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM) has been designed to deliver quite similar artifact-free chemical information but for low cost, and to perform robust monitoring over long-term periods. When deployed in parallel with real-time black carbon (BC) measurements, the combined data set allows for a quasi-comprehensive description of the whole PM1 fraction in near real time. Here we present 2-year long ACSM and BC data sets, between mid-2011 and mid-2013, obtained at the French atmospheric SIRTA supersite that is representative of background PM levels of the region of Paris. This large data set shows intense and time-limited (a few hours) pollution events observed during wintertime in the region of Paris, pointing to local carbonaceous emissions (mainly combustion sources). A non-parametric wind regression analysis was performed on this 2-year data set for the major PM1 constituents (organic matter, nitrate, sulfate and source apportioned BC) and ammonia in order to better refine their geographical origins and assess local/regional/advected contributions whose information is mandatory for efficient mitigation strategies. While ammonium sulfate typically shows a clear advected pattern, ammonium nitrate partially displays a similar feature, but, less expectedly, it also exhibits a significant contribution of regional and local emissions. The contribution of regional background organic aerosols (OA) is significant in spring and summer, while a more pronounced local origin is evidenced during wintertime, whose pattern is also observed for BC originating from domestic wood burning. Using time-resolved ACSM and BC information, seasonally differentiated weekly diurnal profiles of these constituents were investigated and helped to identify the main

Sensitivity of aerosol radiative forcing efficiency to the coarse mode contributions across aerosol regimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McComiskey, A. C.; Telg, H.; Sheridan, P. J.; Kassianov, E.

2017-12-01

The coarse mode contribution to the aerosol radiative effect in a range of clean and turbid aerosol regimes has not been well quantified. While the coarse-mode radiative effect in turbid conditions is generally assumed to be consequential, the effect in clean conditions has likely been underestimated. We survey ground-based in situ measurements of the coarse mode fraction of aerosol optical properties measured around the globe over the past 20 years by the DOE Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Facility and the NOAA Global Monitoring Division. The aerosol forcing efficiency is presented, allowing an evaluation of where the aerosol coarse mode might be climatologically significant.

Instrumental lahar monitoring at Merapi Volcano, Central Java, Indonesia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lavigne, Franck; Thouret, J.-C.; Voight, B.; Young, K.; LaHusen, R.; Marso, J.; Suwa, H.; Sumaryono, A.; Sayudi, D.S.; Dejean, M.

2000-01-01

More than 50 volcanic debris flows or lahars were generated around Mt Merapi during the first rainy season following the nuees ardentes of 22 November 1994. The rainfalls that triggered the lahars were analyzed, using such instruments as weather radar and telemetered rain gauges. Lahar dynamics were also monitored, using new non-contact detection instrumentation installed on the slopes of the volcano. These devices include real-time seismic amplitude measurement (RSAM), seismic spectral amplitude measurement (SSAM) and acoustic flow monitoring (AFM) systems. Calibration of the various systems was accomplished by field measurements of flow velocities and discharge, contemporaneously with instrumental monitoring. The 1994–1995 lahars were relatively short events, their duration in the Boyong river commonly ranging between 30 min and 1 h 30 min. The great majority (90%) of the lahars was recognized at Kaliurang village between 13:00 and 17:30 h, due to the predominance of afternoon rainfalls. The observed mean velocity of lahar fronts ranged between 1.1 and 3.4 m/s, whereas the peak velocity of the flows varied from 11 to 15 m/s, under the Gardu Pandang viewpoint location at Kaliurang, to 8–10 m/s at a section 500 m downstream from this site. River slopes vary from 28 to 22 m/km at the two sites. Peak discharges recorded in various events ranged from 33 to 360 m3/s, with the maximum value of peak discharge 360 m3/s, on 20 May 1995. To improve the lahar warning system along Boyong river, some instrumental thresholds were proposed: large and potentially hazardous lahars may be detected by RSAM units exceeding 400, SSAM units exceeding 80 on the highest frequency band, or AFM values greater than 1500 mV on the low-gain, broad-band setting.

The Measurement of Aerosol Optical Properties Using Continuous Wave Cavity Ring-Down Techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strawa, A. W.; Owano, T.; Castaneda, R.; Baer, D. S.; Paldus, B. A.; Gore, Warren J. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Large uncertainties in the effects that aerosols have on climate require improved in-situ measurements of extinction coefficient and single-scattering albedo. This abstract describes the use of continuous wave cavity ring-down (CW-CRD) technology to address this problem. The innovations in this instrument are the use of CW-CRD to measure aerosol extinction coefficient, the simultaneous measurement of scattering coefficient, and small size suitable for a wide range of aircraft applications. Our prototype instrument measures extinction and scattering coefficient at 690 nm and extinction coefficient at 1550 nm. The instrument itself is small (60 x 48 x 15 cm) and relatively insensitive to vibrations. The prototype instrument has been tested in our lab and used in the field. While improvements in performance are needed, the prototype has been shown to make accurate and sensitive measurements of extinction and scattering coefficients. Combining these two parameters, one can obtain the single-scattering albedo and absorption coefficient, both important aerosol properties. The use of two wavelengths also allows us to obtain a quantitative idea of the size of the aerosol through the Angstrom exponent. Minimum sensitivity of the prototype instrument is 1.5 x 10(exp -6)/m (1.5/Mm). Validation of the measurement of extinction coefficient has been accomplished by comparing the measurement of calibration spheres with Mie calculations. This instrument and its successors have potential to help reduce uncertainty currently associated with aerosol optical properties and their spatial and temporal variation. Possible applications include studies of visibility, climate forcing by aerosol, and the validation of aerosol retrieval schemes from satellite data.

Initial operation and checkout of stratospheric aerosol gas experiment and Meteor-3M satellite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Habib, Shahid; Makridenko, Leonid; Chu, William P.; Salikhov, Rashid; Moore, Alvah S., Jr.; Trepte, Charles R.; Cisewski, Michael S.

2003-04-01

Under a joint agreement between the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) and the Russian Aviation and Space Agency (RASA), the Stratospheric Aerosol Gas Experiment III (SAGE III) instrument was launched in low earth orbit on December 10, 2001 aboard the Russian Meteor-3M(1) satellite from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. SAGE III is a spectrometer that measures attenuated radiation in the 282 nm to 1550 nm wavelength range to obtain the vertical profiles of ozone, aerosols, and other chemical species that are critical in studying the trends for the global climate change phenomena. This instrument version is more advanced than any of the previous versions and has more spectral bands, elaborate data gathering and storage, and intelligent terrestrial software. There are a number of Russian scientific instruments aboard the Meteor satellite in addition to the SAGE III instrument. These instruments deal with land imaging and biomass changes, hydro-meteorological monitoring, and helio-geophysical research. This mission was under development for over a period of six years and offered a number of unique technical and program management challenges for both Agencies. SAGE III has a long space heritage, and four earlier versions of this instrument have flown in space for nearly two decades now. In fact, SAGE II, the fourth instrument, is still flying in space on NASA's Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS), and has been providing important atmospheric data over the last 18 years. It has provided vital ozone and aerosol data in the mid latitudes and has contributed vastly in ozone depletion research. Ball Aerospace built the instrument under Langley Research Center's (LaRC) management. This paper presents the process and approach deployed by the SAGE III and the Meteor teams in performing the initial on-orbit checkout. It further documents a number of early science results obtained by deploying low risk, carefully coordinated procedures in resolving the serious operational

Evaluating the capabilities of aerosol-to-liquid particle extraction system (ALPXS)/ICP-MS for monitoring trace metals in indoor air.

PubMed

Jayawardene, Innocent; Rasmussen, Pat E; Chenier, Marc; Gardner, H David

2014-09-01

This study investigates the application of the Aerosol-to-Liquid Particle Extraction System (ALPXS), which uses wet electrostatic precipitation to collect airborne particles, for multi-element indoor stationary monitoring. Optimum conditions are determined for capturing airborne particles for metal determination by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), for measuring field blanks, and for calculating limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ). Due to the relatively high flow rate (300 L min(-1)), a sampling duration of 1 hr to 2 hr was adequate to capture airborne particle-bound metals under the investigated experimental conditions. The performance of the ALPXS during a building renovation demonstrated signal-to-noise ratios appropriate for sampling airborne particles in environments with elevated metal concentrations, such as workplace settings. The ALPXS shows promise as a research tool for providing useful information on short-term variations (transient signals) and for trapping particles into aqueous solutions where needed for subsequent characterization. As the ALPXS does not provide size-specific samples, and its efficiency at different flow rates has yet to be quantified, the ALPXS would not replace standard filter-based protocols accepted for regulatory applications (e.g., exposure measurements), but rather would provide additional information if used in conjunction with filter based methods. Implications: This study investigates the capability of the Aerosol-to-Liquid Particle Extraction System (ALPXS) for stationary sampling of airborne metals in indoor workplace environments, with subsequent analysis by ICP-MS. The high flow rate (300 L/min) permits a short sampling duration (< 2 hr). Results indicated that the ALPXS was capable of monitoring short-term changes in metal emissions during a renovation activity. This portable instrument may prove to be advantageous in occupational settings as a qualitative indicator of elevated

Direct Radiative Effect of Aerosols Based on PARASOL and OMI Satellite Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lacagnina, Carlo; Hasekamp, Otto P.; Torres, Omar

2017-01-01

Accurate portrayal of the aerosol characteristics is crucial to determine aerosol contribution to the Earth's radiation budget. We employ novel satellite retrievals to make a new measurement-based estimate of the shortwave direct radiative effect of aerosols (DREA), both over land and ocean. Global satellite measurements of aerosol optical depth, single-scattering albedo (SSA), and phase function from PARASOL (Polarization and Anisotropy of Reflectances for Atmospheric Sciences coupled with Observations from a Lidar) are used in synergy with OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument) SSA. Aerosol information is combined with land-surface bidirectional reflectance distribution function and cloud characteristics from MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) satellite products. Eventual gaps in observations are filled with the state-of-the-art global aerosol model ECHAM5-HAM2. It is found that our estimate of DREA is largely insensitive to model choice. Radiative transfer calculations show that DREA at top-of-atmosphere is -4.6 +/- 1.5 W/sq m for cloud-free and -2.1 +/- 0.7 W/sq m for all-sky conditions, during year 2006. These fluxes are consistent with, albeit generally less negative over ocean than, former assessments. Unlike previous studies, our estimate is constrained by retrievals of global coverage SSA, which may justify different DREA values. Remarkable consistency is found in comparison with DREA based on CERES (Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System) and MODIS observations.

The Airborne Cloud-Aerosol Transport System. Part I; Overview and Description of the Instrument and Retrival Algorithms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yorks, John E.; Mcgill, Matthew J.; Scott, V. Stanley; Kupchock, Andrew; Wake, Shane; Hlavka, Dennis; Hart, William; Selmer, Patrick

2014-01-01

The Airborne Cloud-Aerosol Transport System (ACATS) is a multi-channel Doppler lidar system recently developed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). A unique aspect of the multi-channel Doppler lidar concept such as ACATS is that it is also, by its very nature, a high spectral resolution lidar (HSRL). Both the particulate and molecular scattered signal can be directly and unambiguously measured, allowing for direct retrievals of particulate extinction. ACATS is therefore capable of simultaneously resolving the backscatterextinction properties and motion of a particle from a high altitude aircraft. ACATS has flown on the NASA ER-2 during test flights over California in June 2012 and science flights during the Wallops Airborne Vegetation Experiment (WAVE) in September 2012. This paper provides an overview of the ACATS method and instrument design, describes the ACATS retrieval algorithms for cloud and aerosol properties, and demonstrates the data products that will be derived from the ACATS data using initial results from the WAVE project. The HSRL retrieval algorithms developed for ACATS have direct application to future spaceborne missions such as the Cloud-Aerosol Transport System (CATS) to be installed on the International Space Station (ISS). Furthermore, the direct extinction and particle wind velocity retrieved from the ACATS data can be used for science applications such 27 as dust or smoke transport and convective outflow in anvil cirrus clouds.

Measurement-based estimates of direct radiative effects of absorbing aerosols above clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Nan; Christopher, Sundar A.

2015-07-01

The elevated layers of absorbing smoke aerosols from western African (e.g., Gabon and Congo) biomass burning activities have been frequently observed above low-level stratocumulus clouds off the African coast, which presents an excellent natural laboratory for studying the effects of aerosols above clouds (AAC) on regional energy balance in tropical and subtropical environments. Using spatially and temporally collocated Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), and Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System data sets, the top-of-atmosphere shortwave aerosol direct shortwave radiative effects (ARE) of absorbing aerosols above low-level water clouds in the southeast Atlantic Ocean was examined in this study. The regional averaged instantaneous ARE has been estimated to be 36.7 ± 20.5 Wm-2 (regional mean ± standard deviation) along with a mean positive OMI Aerosol Index at 1.3 in August 2006 based on multisensors measurements. The highest magnitude of instantaneous ARE can even reach 138.2 Wm-2. We assess that the 660 nm cloud optical depth (COD) values of 8-12 is the critical value above (below) which aerosol absorption (scattering) effect dominates and further produces positive (negative) ARE values. The results further show that ARE values are more sensitive to aerosols above lower COD values than cases for higher COD values. This is among the first studies to provide quantitative estimates of shortwave ARE due to AAC events from an observational perspective.

Autonomous Ozone and Aerosol Lidar Platform: Preliminary Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strawbridge, K. B.

2014-12-01

Environment Canada is developing an autonomous tropospheric ozone and aerosol lidar system for deployment in support of short-term field studies. Tropospheric ozone and aerosols (PM10 and PM2.5) are important atmospheric constituents in low altitude pollution affecting human health and vegetation. Ozone is photo-chemically active with nitrogen oxides and can have a distinct diurnal variability. Aerosols contribute to the radiative budget, are a tracer for pollution transport, undergo complex mixing, and contribute to visibility and cloud formation. This particular instrument will employ two separate lidar transmitter and receiver assemblies. The tropospheric ozone lidar, based on the differential absorption lidar (DIAL) technique, uses the fourth harmonics of a Nd:YAG laser directed into a CO2 Raman cell to produce 276 nm, 287nm and 299 nm (first to third Stokes lines) output wavelengths. The aerosol lidar is based on the 3+2 design using a tripled Nd:YAG to output 355 nm, 532 nm and 1064nm wavelengths. Both lidars will be housed in a modified cargo trailer allowing for easy deployment to remote areas. The unit can be operated and monitored 24 hours a day via an internet link and requires an external power source. Simultaneous ozone and aerosol lidar measurements will provide the vertical context necessary to understand the complex mixing and transformation of pollutants - particularly when deployed near other ground-based in-situ sensors. Preliminary results will be shown from a summer field study at the Centre For Atmospheric Research Experiments (CARE).

Forecasting Plant Productivity and Health Using Diffuse-to-Global Irradiance Ratios Extracted from the OMI Aerosol Product

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knowlton, Kelly; Andrews, Jane C.; Ryan, Robert E.

2007-01-01

Atmospheric aerosols are a major contributor to diffuse irradiance. This Candidate Solution suggests using the OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument) aerosol product as input into a radiative transfer model, which would calculate the ratio of diffuse to global irradiance at the Earth s surface. This ratio can significantly influence the rate of photosynthesis in plants; increasing the ratio of diffuse to global irradiance can accelerate photosynthesis, resulting in greater plant productivity. Accurate values of this ratio could be useful in predicting crop productivity, thereby improving forecasts of regional food resources. However, disagreements exist between diffuse-to-global irradiance values measured by different satellites and ground sensors. OMI, with its unique combination of spectral bands, high resolution, and daily global coverage, may be able to provide more accurate aerosol measurements than other comparable sensors.

From nanoparticles to large aerosols: Ultrafast measurement methods for size and concentration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keck, Lothar; Spielvogel, Jürgen; Grimm, Hans

2009-05-01

A major challenge in aerosol technology is the fast measurement of number size distributions with good accuracy and size resolution. The dedicated instruments are frequently based on particle charging and electric detection. Established fast systems, however, still feature a number of shortcomings. We have developed a new instrument that constitutes of a high flow Differential Mobility Analyser (high flow DMA) and a high sensitivity Faraday Cup Electrometer (FCE). The system enables variable flow rates of up to 150 lpm, and the scan time for size distribution can be shortened considerably due to the short residence time of the particles in the DMA. Three different electrodes can be employed in order to cover a large size range. First test results demonstrate that the scan time can be reduced to less than 1 s for small particles, and that the results from the fast scans feature no significant difference to the results from established slow method. The fields of application for the new instrument comprise the precise monitoring of fast processes with nanoparticles, including monitoring of engine exhaust in automotive research.

Regional and local variations in atmospheric aerosols using ground-based sun photometry during Distributed Regional Aerosol Gridded Observation Networks (DRAGON) in 2012

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sano, Itaru; Mukai, Sonoyo; Nakata, Makiko; Holben, Brent N.

2016-11-01

Aerosol mass concentrations are affected by local emissions as well as long-range transboundary (LRT) aerosols. This work investigates regional and local variations of aerosols based on Distributed Regional Aerosol Gridded Observation Networks (DRAGON). We constructed DRAGON-Japan and DRAGON-Osaka in spring of 2012. The former network covers almost all of Japan in order to obtain aerosol information in regional scale over Japanese islands. It was determined from the DRAGON-Japan campaign that the values of aerosol optical thickness (AOT) decrease from west to east during an aerosol episode. In fact, the highest AOT was recorded at Fukue Island at the western end of the network, and the value was much higher than that of urban areas. The latter network (DRAGON-Osaka) was set as a dense instrument network in the megalopolis of Osaka, with a population of 12 million, to better understand local aerosol dynamics in urban areas. AOT was further measured with a mobile sun photometer attached to a car. This transect information showed that aerosol concentrations rapidly changed in time and space together when most of the Osaka area was covered with moderate LRT aerosols. The combined use of the dense instrument network (DRAGON-Osaka) and high-frequency measurements provides the motion of aerosol advection, which coincides with the wind vector around the layer between 700 and 850 hPa as provided by the reanalysis data of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP).

Regional and Local Variations in Atmospheric Aerosols Using Ground-Based Sun Photometry During Distributed Regional Aerosol Gridded Observation Networks (DRAGON) in 2012

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sano, Itaru; Mukai, Sonoyo; Nakata, Makiko; Holben, Brent N.

2016-01-01

Aerosol mass concentrations are affected by local emissions as well as long-range transboundary (LRT) aerosols. This work investigates regional and local variations of aerosols based on Distributed Regional Aerosol Gridded Observation Networks (DRAGON).We constructed DRAGON-Japan and DRAGON-Osaka in spring of 2012. The former network covers almost all of Japan in order to obtain aerosol information in regional scale over Japanese islands. It was determined from the DRAGON-Japan campaign that the values of aerosol optical thickness (AOT) decrease from west to east during an aerosol episode. In fact, the highest AOT was recorded at Fukue Island at the western end of the network, and the value was much higher than that of urban areas. The latter network (DRAGON-Osaka) was set as a dense instrument network in the megalopolis of Osaka, with a population of 12 million, to better understand local aerosol dynamics in urban areas. AOT was further measured with a mobile sun photometer attached to a car. This transect information showed that aerosol concentrations rapidly changed in time and space together when most of the Osaka area was covered with moderate LRT aerosols. The combined use of the dense instrument network (DRAGON-Osaka) and high-frequency measurements provides the motion of aerosol advection, which coincides with the wind vector around the layer between 700 and 850 hPa as provided by the reanalysis data of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP).

A CAM (continuous air monitor) sampler for collecting and assessing alpha-emitting aerosol particles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McFarland, A.R.; Bethel, E.L.; Ortiz, C.A.

1991-07-01

A new continuous air monitor (CAM) sampler for assessing alpha-emitting transuranic aerosol particles has been developed. The system has been designed to permit collection of particles that can potentially penetrate into the thoracic region of the human respiratory system. Wind tunnel testing of the sampler has been used to characterize the penetration of aerosol to the collection filter. Results show that greater than or equal to 50% of 10-micrograms aerodynamic equivalent diameter (AED) particles are collected by the filter at wind speeds of 0.3 to 2 m s-1 and at sampling flow rates of 28 to 113 L min-1 (1more » to 4 cfm). The deposition of 10-microns AED particles takes place primarily in the center of the filter, where the counting efficiency of the detector is highest.« less

Earth's UV Reflectivity Data from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument on EOS-Aura

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larko, D. E.; Mao, J.; Herman, J. R.; Huang, L.; Qin, W.; Labow, G. J.; Lloyd, S. A.; DeLand, M. T.

2011-12-01

The Lambert Equivalent Reflectivity (LER), derived from satellite ultraviolet (UV) radiance measurements, represents the equivalent scene reflectivity of the Earth's surface and atmosphere without Rayleigh scattering. It provides a better opportunity to quantify variations of the planetary reflectance and albedo associated with snow/ice, atmospheric aerosols and clouds, since UV reflectance is very low over most land surfaces and water. LER values at 340 nm from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on EOS-Aura have been generated as a new product from the OMI TO3 ozone retrieval algorithm and provided to users in HDF format. The wide field of view of OMI (~2200 km) provides complete global coverage every day with 13 km x 24 km resolution at nadir. These data are then mapped to 1 degree x 1 degree latitude-longitude grid as daily and monthly means for weather and climate studies. The OMI LER data set has been used to validate other UV LER data sets from NOAA and NASA polar orbiting satellites, and has been combined with these data sets to construct a continuous long-term data record of terrestrial UV reflectivity. This paper will present details about the data processing and format of the OMI LER product. Applications of this data set in global climate studies will be demonstrated and discussed in this presentation.

Investigating biomass burning aerosol morphology using a laser imaging nephelometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manfred, Katherine M.; Washenfelder, Rebecca A.; Wagner, Nicholas L.; Adler, Gabriela; Erdesz, Frank; Womack, Caroline C.; Lamb, Kara D.; Schwarz, Joshua P.; Franchin, Alessandro; Selimovic, Vanessa; Yokelson, Robert J.; Murphy, Daniel M.

2018-02-01

Particle morphology is an important parameter affecting aerosol optical properties that are relevant to climate and air quality, yet it is poorly constrained due to sparse in situ measurements. Biomass burning is a large source of aerosol that generates particles with different morphologies. Quantifying the optical contributions of non-spherical aerosol populations is critical for accurate radiative transfer models, and for correctly interpreting remote sensing data. We deployed a laser imaging nephelometer at the Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory to sample biomass burning aerosol from controlled fires during the FIREX intensive laboratory study. The laser imaging nephelometer measures the unpolarized scattering phase function of an aerosol ensemble using diode lasers at 375 and 405 nm. Scattered light from the bulk aerosol in the instrument is imaged onto a charge-coupled device (CCD) using a wide-angle field-of-view lens, which allows for measurements at 4-175° scattering angle with ˜ 0.5° angular resolution. Along with a suite of other instruments, the laser imaging nephelometer sampled fresh smoke emissions both directly and after removal of volatile components with a thermodenuder at 250 °C. The total integrated aerosol scattering signal agreed with both a cavity ring-down photoacoustic spectrometer system and a traditional integrating nephelometer within instrumental uncertainties. We compare the measured scattering phase functions at 405 nm to theoretical models for spherical (Mie) and fractal (Rayleigh-Debye-Gans) particle morphologies based on the size distribution reported by an optical particle counter. Results from representative fires demonstrate that particle morphology can vary dramatically for different fuel types. In some cases, the measured phase function cannot be described using Mie theory. This study demonstrates the capabilities of the laser imaging nephelometer instrument to provide realtime, in situ information about dominant particle

40 CFR 65.104 - Instrument and sensory monitoring for leaks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... calibration gas other than methane in air may be used if the instrument does not respond to methane or if the.... (i) Valves in gas/vapor service and in light liquid service shall be monitored pursuant to § 65.106(b). (ii) Pumps in light liquid service shall be monitored pursuant to § 65.107(b). (iii) Connectors in gas...

40 CFR 65.104 - Instrument and sensory monitoring for leaks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... calibration gas other than methane in air may be used if the instrument does not respond to methane or if the.... (i) Valves in gas/vapor service and in light liquid service shall be monitored pursuant to § 65.106(b). (ii) Pumps in light liquid service shall be monitored pursuant to § 65.107(b). (iii) Connectors in gas...

Apportionment of Primary and Secondary Organic Aerosols in Southern California During the 2005 Study of Organic Aerosols in Riverside (SOAR-1)

EPA Science Inventory

Ambient sampling was conducted in Riverside, California during the 2005 Study of Organic Aerosols in Riverside to characterize the composition and sources of organic aerosol using a variety of state-of-the-art instrumentation and source apportionment techniques.

Integrating Nephelometer Instrument Handbook

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Uin, J.

The Integrating Nephelometer (Figure 1) is an instrument that measures aerosol light scattering. It measures aerosol optical scattering properties by detecting (with a wide angular integration – from 7 to 170°) the light scattered by the aerosol and subtracting the light scattered by the carrier gas, the instrument walls and the background noise in the detector (zeroing). Zeroing is typically performed for 5 minutes every day at midnight UTC. The scattered light is split into red (700 nm), green (550 nm), and blue (450 nm) wavelengths and captured by three photomultiplier tubes. The instrument can measure total scatter as wellmore » as backscatter only (from 90 to 170°) (Heintzenberg and Charlson 1996; Anderson et al. 1996; Anderson and Ogren 1998; TSI 3563 2015) At ARM (Atmospheric Radiation Measurement), two identical Nephelometers are usually run in series with a sample relative humidity (RH) conditioner between them. This is possible because Nephelometer sampling is non-destructive and the sample can be passed on to another instrument. The sample RH conditioner scans through multiple RH values in cycles, treating the sample. This kind of setup allows to study how aerosol particles’ light scattering properties are affected by humidification (Anderson et al. 1996). For historical reasons, the two Nephelometers in this setup are labeled “wet” and “dry”, with the “dry” Nephelometer usually being the one before the conditioner and sampling ambient air (the names are switched for the MAOS measurement site due to the high RH of the ambient air).« less

Classifying aerosol type using in situ surface spectral aerosol optical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmeisser, Lauren; Andrews, Elisabeth; Ogren, John A.; Sheridan, Patrick; Jefferson, Anne; Sharma, Sangeeta; Kim, Jeong Eun; Sherman, James P.; Sorribas, Mar; Kalapov, Ivo; Arsov, Todor; Angelov, Christo; Mayol-Bracero, Olga L.; Labuschagne, Casper; Kim, Sang-Woo; Hoffer, András; Lin, Neng-Huei; Chia, Hao-Ping; Bergin, Michael; Sun, Junying; Liu, Peng; Wu, Hao

2017-10-01

Knowledge of aerosol size and composition is important for determining radiative forcing effects of aerosols, identifying aerosol sources and improving aerosol satellite retrieval algorithms. The ability to extrapolate aerosol size and composition, or type, from intensive aerosol optical properties can help expand the current knowledge of spatiotemporal variability in aerosol type globally, particularly where chemical composition measurements do not exist concurrently with optical property measurements. This study uses medians of the scattering Ångström exponent (SAE), absorption Ångström exponent (AAE) and single scattering albedo (SSA) from 24 stations within the NOAA/ESRL Federated Aerosol Monitoring Network to infer aerosol type using previously published aerosol classification schemes.Three methods are implemented to obtain a best estimate of dominant aerosol type at each station using aerosol optical properties. The first method plots station medians into an AAE vs. SAE plot space, so that a unique combination of intensive properties corresponds with an aerosol type. The second typing method expands on the first by introducing a multivariate cluster analysis, which aims to group stations with similar optical characteristics and thus similar dominant aerosol type. The third and final classification method pairs 3-day backward air mass trajectories with median aerosol optical properties to explore the relationship between trajectory origin (proxy for likely aerosol type) and aerosol intensive parameters, while allowing for multiple dominant aerosol types at each station.The three aerosol classification methods have some common, and thus robust, results. In general, estimating dominant aerosol type using optical properties is best suited for site locations with a stable and homogenous aerosol population, particularly continental polluted (carbonaceous aerosol), marine polluted (carbonaceous aerosol mixed with sea salt) and continental dust/biomass sites

Evaluation of the Multi-Angle Implementation of Atmospheric Correction (MAIAC) Aerosol Algorithm through Intercomparison with VIIRS Aerosol Products and AERONET

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Superczynski, Stephen D.; Kondragunta, Shobha; Lyapustin, Alexei I.

2017-01-01

The Multi-Angle Implementation of Atmospheric Correction (MAIAC) algorithm is under evaluation for use in conjunction with the Geostationary Coastal and Air Pollution Events (GEO-CAPE) mission. Column aerosol optical thickness (AOT) data from MAIAC are compared against corresponding data. from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument over North America during 2013. Product coverage and retrieval strategy, along with regional variations in AOT through comparison of both matched and un-matched seasonally gridded data are reviewed. MAIAC shows extended coverage over parts of the continent when compared to VIIRS, owing to its pixel selection process and ability to retrieve aerosol information over brighter surfaces. To estimate data accuracy, both products are compared with AERONET Level 2 measurements to determine the amount of error present and discover if there is any dependency on viewing geometry and/or surface characteristics. Results suggest that MAIAC performs well over this region with a relatively small bias of -0.01; however there is a tendency for greater negative biases over bright surfaces and at larger scattering angles. Additional analysis over an expanded area and longer time period are likely needed to determine a comprehensive assessment of the products capability over the Western Hemisphere. and meet the levels of accuracy needed for aerosol monitoring.

Estimating ground-level PM2.5 in eastern China using aerosol optical depth determined from the GOCI satellite instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, J.-W.; Martin, R. V.; van Donkelaar, A.; Kim, J.; Choi, M.; Zhang, Q.; Geng, G.; Liu, Y.; Ma, Z.; Huang, L.; Wang, Y.; Chen, H.; Che, H.; Lin, P.; Lin, N.

2015-11-01

We determine and interpret fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations in eastern China for January to December 2013 at a horizontal resolution of 6 km from aerosol optical depth (AOD) retrieved from the Korean geostationary ocean color imager (GOCI) satellite instrument. We implement a set of filters to minimize cloud contamination in GOCI AOD. Evaluation of filtered GOCI AOD with AOD from the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) indicates significant agreement with mean fractional bias (MFB) in Beijing of 6.7 % and northern Taiwan of -1.2 %. We use a global chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem) to relate the total column AOD to the near-surface PM2.5. The simulated PM2.5 / AOD ratio exhibits high consistency with ground-based measurements in Taiwan (MFB = -0.52 %) and Beijing (MFB = -8.0 %). We evaluate the satellite-derived PM2.5 versus the ground-level PM2.5 in 2013 measured by the China Environmental Monitoring Center. Significant agreement is found between GOCI-derived PM2.5 and in situ observations in both annual averages (r2 = 0.66, N = 494) and monthly averages (relative RMSE = 18.3 %), indicating GOCI provides valuable data for air quality studies in Northeast Asia. The GEOS-Chem simulated chemical composition of GOCI-derived PM2.5 reveals that secondary inorganics (SO42-, NO3-, NH4+) and organic matter are the most significant components. Biofuel emissions in northern China for heating increase the concentration of organic matter in winter. The population-weighted GOCI-derived PM2.5 over eastern China for 2013 is 53.8 μg m-3, with 400 million residents in regions that exceed the Interim Target-1 of the World Health Organization.

The effect of organic aerosol material on aerosol reactivity towards ozone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batenburg, Anneke; Gaston, Cassandra; Thornton, Joel; Virtanen, Annele

2015-04-01

After aerosol particles are formed or emitted into the atmosphere, heterogeneous reactions with gaseous oxidants cause them to 'age'. Aging can change aerosol properties, such as the hygroscopicity, which is an important parameter in how the particles scatter radiation and form clouds. Conversely, heterogeneous reactions on aerosol particles play a significant role in the cycles of various atmospheric trace gases. Organic compounds, a large part of the total global aerosol matter, can exist in liquid or amorphous (semi)solid physical phases. Different groups have shown that reactions with ozone (O3) can be limited by bulk diffusion in organic aerosol, particularly in viscous, (semi)solid materials, and that organic coatings alter the surface interactions between gas and aerosol particles. We aim to better understand and quantify how the viscosity and phase of organic aerosol matter affect gas-particle interactions. We have chosen the reaction of O3 with particles composed of a potassium iodide (KI) core and a variable organic coating as a model system. The reaction is studied in an aerosol flow reactor that consists of a laminar flow tube and a movable, axial injector for the injection of O3. The aerosol-containing air is inserted at the tube's top. The interaction length (and therefore time), between the particles and the O3 can be varied by moving the injector. Alternatively, the production of aerosol particles can be modulated. The remaining O3 concentration is monitored from the bottom of the tube and particle concentrations are measured simultaneously, which allows us to calculate the reactive uptake coefficient γ. We performed exploratory experiments with internally mixed KI and polyethylene glycol (PEG) particles at the University of Washington (UW) in a setup with a residence time around 50 s. Aerosol particles were generated in an atomizer from solutions with varying concentrations of KI and PEG and inserted into the flow tube after they were diluted and

Progress Toward a Global, EOS-Era Aerosol Air Mass Type Climatology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kahn, Ralph A.

2012-01-01

The MISR and MODIS instruments aboard the NASA Earth Observing System's Terra Satellite have been collecting data containing information about the state of Earth's atmosphere and surface for over eleven years. Data from these instruments have been used to develop a global, monthly climatology of aerosol amount that is widely used as a constraint on climate models, including those used for the 2007 IPCC assessment report. The next frontier in assessing aerosol radiative forcing of climate is aerosol type, and in particular, the absorption properties of major aerosol air masses. This presentation will focus on the prospects for constraining aerosol type globally, and the steps we are taking to apply a combination of satellite and suborbital data to this challenge.

ACTRIS ACSM intercomparison - Part 2: Intercomparison of ME-2 organic source apportionment results from 15 individual, co-located aerosol mass spectrometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fröhlich, R.; Crenn, V.; Setyan, A.; Belis, C. A.; Canonaco, F.; Favez, O.; Riffault, V.; Slowik, J. G.; Aas, W.; Aijälä, M.; Alastuey, A.; Artiñano, B.; Bonnaire, N.; Bozzetti, C.; Bressi, M.; Carbone, C.; Coz, E.; Croteau, P. L.; Cubison, M. J.; Esser-Gietl, J. K.; Green, D. C.; Gros, V.; Heikkinen, L.; Herrmann, H.; Jayne, J. T.; Lunder, C. R.; Minguillón, M. C.; Močnik, G.; O'Dowd, C. D.; Ovadnevaite, J.; Petralia, E.; Poulain, L.; Priestman, M.; Ripoll, A.; Sarda-Estève, R.; Wiedensohler, A.; Baltensperger, U.; Sciare, J.; Prévôt, A. S. H.

2015-02-01

Chemically resolved atmospheric aerosol data sets from the largest intercomparison of the Aerodyne aerosol chemical speciation monitors (ACSM) performed to date were collected at the French atmospheric supersite SIRTA. In total 13 quadrupole ACSMs (Q-ACSM) from the European ACTRIS ACSM network, one time-of-flight ACSM (ToF-ACSM), and one high-resolution ToF aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) were operated in parallel for about three weeks in November and December 2013. Part 1 of this study reports on the accuracy and precision of the instruments for all the measured species. In this work we report on the intercomparison of organic components and the results from factor analysis source apportionment by positive matrix factorisation (PMF) utilising the multilinear engine 2 (ME-2). Except for the organic contribution of m/z 44 to the total organics (f44), which varied by factors between 0.6 and 1.3 compared to the mean, the peaks in the organic mass spectra were similar among instruments. The m/z 44 differences in the spectra resulted in a variable f44 in the source profiles extracted by ME-2, but had only a minor influence on the extracted mass contributions of the sources. The presented source apportionment yielded four factors for all 15 instruments: hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol (HOA), cooking-related organic aerosol (COA), biomass burning-related organic aerosol (BBOA) and secondary oxygenated organic aerosol (OOA). Individual application and optimisation of the ME-2 boundary conditions (profile constraints) are discussed together with the investigation of the influence of alternative anchors (reference profiles). A comparison of the ME-2 source apportionment output of all 15 instruments resulted in relative SD from the mean between 13.7 and 22.7% of the source's average mass contribution depending on the factors (HOA: 14.3 ± 2.2%, COA: 15.0 ± 3.4%, OOA: 41.5 ± 5.7%, BBOA: 29.3 ± 5.0%). Factors which tend to be subject to minor factor mixing (in this case COA

Field characterization of the PM2.5 Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor: insights into the composition, sources, and processes of fine particles in eastern China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yunjiang; Tang, Lili; Croteau, Philip L.; Favez, Olivier; Sun, Yele; Canagaratna, Manjula R.; Wang, Zhuang; Couvidat, Florian; Albinet, Alexandre; Zhang, Hongliang; Sciare, Jean; Prévôt, André S. H.; Jayne, John T.; Worsnop, Douglas R.

2017-12-01

A PM2.5-capable aerosol chemical speciation monitor (Q-ACSM) was deployed in urban Nanjing, China, for the first time to measure in situ non-refractory fine particle (NR-PM2.5) composition from 20 October to 19 November 2015, along with parallel measurements of submicron aerosol (PM1) species by a standard Q-ACSM. Our results show that the NR-PM2.5 species (organics, sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium) measured by the PM2.5-Q-ACSM are highly correlated (r2 > 0.9) with those measured by a Sunset Lab OC  /  EC analyzer and a Monitor for AeRosols and GAses (MARGA). The comparisons between the two Q-ACSMs illustrated similar temporal variations in all NR species between PM1 and PM2.5, yet substantial mass fractions of aerosol species were observed in the size range of 1-2.5 µm. On average, NR-PM1-2.5 contributed 53 % of the total NR-PM2.5, with sulfate and secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) being the two largest contributors (26 and 27 %, respectively). Positive matrix factorization of organic aerosol showed similar temporal variations in both primary and secondary OAs between PM1 and PM2.5, although the mass spectra were slightly different due to more thermal decomposition on the capture vaporizer of the PM2.5-Q-ACSM. We observed an enhancement of SOA under high relative humidity conditions, which is associated with simultaneous increases in aerosol pH, gas-phase species (NO2, SO2, and NH3) concentrations and aerosol water content driven by secondary inorganic aerosols. These results likely indicate an enhanced reactive uptake of SOA precursors upon aqueous particles. Therefore, reducing anthropogenic NOx, SO2, and NH3 emissions might not only reduce secondary inorganic aerosols but also the SOA burden during haze episodes in China.

Instrumentation for Monitoring around Marine Renewable Energy Converters: Workshop Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Polagye, B. L.; Copping, A. E.; Brown-Saracino, J.

2014-01-14

To better understand the state of instrumentation and capabilities for monitoring around marine energy converters, the U.S. Department of Energy directed Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center at the University of Washington to convene an invitation-only workshop of experts from around the world to address instrumentation needs.

The Measurement of Aerosol Optical Properties using Continuous Wave Cavity Ring-Down Techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strawa, Anthony W.; Castaneda, Rene; Owano, Thomas; Baer, Douglas S.; Paldus, Barbara A.; Gore, Warren J. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Large uncertainties in the effects that aerosols have on climate require improved in situ measurements of extinction coefficient and single-scattering albedo. This paper describes the use of continuous wave cavity ring-down (CW-CRD) technology to address this problem. The innovations in this instrument are the use of CW-CRD to measure aerosol extinction coefficient, the simultaneous measurement of scattering coefficient, and small size suitable for a wide range of aircraft applications. Our prototype instrument measures extinction and scattering coefficient at 690 nm and extinction coefficient at 1550 nm. The instrument itself is small (60 x 48 x 15 cm) and relatively insensitive to vibrations. The prototype instrument has been tested in our lab and used in the field. While improvements in performance are needed, the prototype has been shown to make accurate and sensitive measurements of extinction and scattering coefficients. Combining these two parameters, one can obtain the single-scattering albedo and absorption coefficient, both important aerosol properties. The use of two wavelengths also allows us to obtain a quantitative idea of the size of the aerosol through the Angstrom exponent. Minimum sensitivity of the prototype instrument is 1.5 x 10(exp -6)/m (1.5 M/m). Validation of the measurement of extinction coefficient has been accomplished by comparing the measurement of calibration spheres with Mie calculations. This instrument and its successors have potential to help reduce uncertainty currently associated with aerosol optical properties and their spatial and temporal variation. Possible applications include studies of visibility, climate forcing by aerosol, and the validation of aerosol retrieval schemes from satellite data.

Aerosol Profile Measurements from the NASA Langley Research Center Airborne High Spectral Resolution Lidar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Obland, Michael D.; Hostetler, Chris A.; Ferrare, Richard A.; Hair, John W.; Roers, Raymond R.; Burton, Sharon P.; Cook, Anthony L.; Harper, David B.

2008-01-01

Since achieving first light in December of 2005, the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) Airborne High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) has been involved in seven field campaigns, accumulating over 450 hours of science data across more than 120 flights. Data from the instrument have been used in a variety of studies including validation and comparison with the Cloud- Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) satellite mission, aerosol property retrievals combining passive and active instrument measurements, aerosol type identification, aerosol-cloud interactions, and cloud top and planetary boundary layer (PBL) height determinations. Measurements and lessons learned from the HSRL are leading towards next-generation HSRL instrument designs that will enable even further studies of aerosol intensive and extensive parameters and the effects of aerosols on the climate system. This paper will highlight several of the areas in which the NASA Airborne HSRL is making contributions to climate science.

A Design of a Novel Airborne Aerosol Spectrometer for Remote Sensing Validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adler, G. A.; Brock, C. A.; Dube, W. P.; Erdesz, F.; Gordon, T.; Law, D. C.; Manfred, K.; Mason, B. J.; McLaughlin, R. J.; Richardson, M.; Wagner, N. L.; Washenfelder, R. A.; Murphy, D. M.

2016-12-01

Aerosols and their effect on the radiative properties of clouds contribute one of the largest sources of uncertainty to the Earth's energy budget. Many current global assessments, of atmospheric aerosol radiative forcing rely heavily on remote sensing observation; therefore, in situ aircraft and ground-based measurements are essential for validation of remote sensing measurements. Cavity ringdown spectrometers (CRD) measure aerosol extinction and are commonly used to validate remote sensing observations. These instruments have been deployed on aircraft based platforms over the years thus providing the opportunity to measure these properties over large areas in various conditions. However, deployment of the CRD on an aircraft platform has drawbacks. Typically, aircraft based CRDs draw sampled aerosol into a cabin based instrument through long lengths of tubing. This limits the ability of the instrument to measure: 1) Course mode aerosols (e.g. dust) 2) Aerosols at high relative humidity (above 90%) Here we describe the design of a novel aircraft based open path CRD. The open path CRD is intended to be mounted external to the cabin and has no sample tubing for aerosol delivery, thus measuring optical properties of all aerosol at the ambient conditions. However, the design of an open path CRD for operation on a wing-mounted aircraft platform has certain design complexities. The instrument's special design features include 2 CRD channels, 2 airfoils around the open Path CRD and a configuration which could be easily aligned and rigid at the same time. This novel implementation of cavity ringdown spectroscopy will provide a better assessment of the accuracy of remote sensing satellite measurements

Anthropogenic and Volcanic Contributions to the Decadal Variations of Aerosols in the Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chin, Mian; Diehl, Thomas; Bian, Huisheng; Aquila, Valentina; Colarco, Peter R.; Tan, Qian; Burrows, John P.; Krotov, Nickolay A.; Vernier, Jean P.; Lu, Zifeng;

Space Weather Monitoring with GOES-16: Instruments and Data Products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loto'aniu, Paul; Rodriguez, Juan; Redmon, Robert; Machol, Janet; Kress, Brian; Seaton, Daniel; Darnel, Jonathan; Rowland, William; Tilton, Margaret; Denig, William; Boudouridis, Athanasios; Codrescu, Stefan; Claycomb, Abram

2017-04-01

Since their inception in the 1970s, the NOAA GOES satellites have monitored the sources of space weather on the sun and the effects of space weather at Earth. The GOES-16 spacecraft, the first of four satellites as part of the GOES-R spacecraft series mission, was launched in November 2016. The space weather instruments on GOES-16 have significantly improved capabilities over older GOES instruments. They will image the sun's atmosphere in extreme-ultraviolet and monitor solar irradiance in X-rays and UV, solar energetic particles, magnetospheric energetic particles, galactic cosmic rays, and the Earth's magnetic field. These measurements are important for providing alerts and warnings to many worldwide customers, including the NOAA National Weather Service, satellite operators, the power utilities, and NASA's human activities in space. This presentation reviews the capabilities of the GOES-16 space weather instruments and presents initial post launch data along with a discussion of calibration activities and the current status of the instruments. We also describe the space weather Level 2+ products that are being developed for the GOES-R series including solar thematic maps, automated magnetopause crossing detection and spacecraft charging estimates. These new and continuing data products will be an integral part of NOAA space weather operations in the GOES-R era.

Use of the NASA GEOS-5 SEAC4RS Meteorological and Aerosol Reanalysis for assessing simulated aerosol optical properties as a function of smoke age

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Randles, C. A.; da Silva, A. M., Jr.; Colarco, P. R.; Darmenov, A.; Buchard, V.; Govindaraju, R.; Chen, G.; Hair, J. W.; Russell, P. B.; Shinozuka, Y.; Wagner, N.; Lack, D.

2014-12-01

The NASA Goddard Earth Observing System version 5 (GEOS-5) Earth system model, which includes an online aerosol module, provided chemical and weather forecasts during the SEAC4RS field campaign. For post-mission analysis, we have produced a high resolution (25 km) meteorological and aerosol reanalysis for the entire campaign period. In addition to the full meteorological observing system used for routine NWP, we assimilate 550 nm aerosol optical depth (AOD) derived from MODIS (both Aqua and Terra satellites), ground-based AERONET sun photometers, and the MISR instrument (over bright surfaces only). Daily biomass burning emissions of CO, CO2, SO2, and aerosols are derived from MODIS fire radiative power retrievals. We have also introduced novel smoke "age" tracers, which provide, for a given time, a snapshot histogram of the age of simulated smoke aerosol. Because GEOS-5 assimilates remotely sensed AOD data, it generally reproduces observed (column) AOD compared to, for example, the airborne 4-STAR instrument. Constraining AOD, however, does not imply a good representation of either the vertical profile or the aerosol microphysical properties (e.g., composition, absorption). We do find a reasonable vertical structure for aerosols is attained in the model, provided actual smoke injection heights are not much above the planetary boundary layer, as verified with observations from DIAL/HRSL aboard the DC8. The translation of the simulated aerosol microphysical properties to total column AOD, needed in the aerosol assimilation step, is based on prescribed mass extinction efficiencies that depend on wavelength, composition, and relative humidity. Here we also evaluate the performance of the simulated aerosol speciation by examining in situ retrievals of aerosol absorption/single scattering albedo and scattering growth factor (f(RH)) from the LARGE and AOP suite of instruments. Putting these comparisons in the context of smoke age as diagnosed by the model helps us to

Longterm and spatial variability of Aerosol optical properties measured by sky radiometer in Japan sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aoki, K.

2016-12-01

Aerosols and cloud play an important role in the climate change. We started the long-term monitoring of aerosol and cloud optical properties since 1990's by using sky radiometer (POM-01, 02; Prede Co. Ltd., Japan). We provide the information, in this presentation, on the aerosol optical properties with respect to their temporal and spatial variability in Japan site (ex. Sapporo, Toyama, Kasuga and etc). The global distributions of aerosols have been derived from earth observation satellite and have been simulated in numerical models, which assume optical parameters. However, these distributions are difficult to derive because of variability in time and space. Therefore, Aerosol optical properties were investigated using the measurements from ground-based and ship-borne sky radiometer. The sky radiometer is an automatic instrument that takes observations only in daytime under the clear sky conditions. Observation of diffuse solar intensity interval was made every ten or five minutes by once. The aerosol optical properties were computed using the SKYRAD.pack version 4.2. The obtained Aerosol optical properties (Aerosol optical thickness, Ångström exponent, Single scattering albedo, and etc.) and size distribution volume clearly showed spatial and temporal variability in Japan area. In this study, we present the temporal and spatial variability of Aerosol optical properties at several Japan sites, applied to validation of satellite and numerical models. This project is validation satellite of GCOM-C, JAXA. The GCOM-C satellite scheduled to be launched in early 2017.

Evaluation of consumer monitors to measure particulate matter.

PubMed

Sousan, Sinan; Koehler, Kirsten; Hallett, Laura; Peters, Thomas M

2017-05-01

Recently, inexpensive (<$300) consumer aerosol monitors (CAMs) targeted for use in homes have become available. We evaluated the accuracy, bias, and precision of three CAMs (Foobot from Airoxlab, Speck from Carnegie Mellon University, and AirBeam from HabitatMap) for measuring mass concentrations in occupational settings. In a laboratory study, PM 2.5 measured with the CAMs and a medium-cost aerosol photometer (personal DataRAM 1500, Thermo Scientific) were compared to that from reference instruments for three aerosols (salt, welding fume, and Arizona road dust, ARD) at concentrations up to 8500 μg/m 3 . Three of each type of CAM were included to estimate precision. Compared to reference instruments, mass concentrations measured with the Foobot (r-value = 0.99) and medium-cost photometer (r-value = 0.99) show strong correlation, whereas those from the Speck (r-value range 0.88 - 0.99) and AirBeam (0.7 - 0.96) were less correlated. The Foobot bias was (-12%) for ARD and measurements were similar to the medium-cost instrument. Foobot bias was (< -46%) for salt and welding fume aerosols. Speck bias was at 18% salt for ARD and -86% for welding fume. AirBeam bias was (-36%) for salt and (-83%) for welding fume. All three photometers had a bias (< -82%) for welding fume. Precision was excellent for the Foobot (coefficient of variation range: 5% to 8%) and AirBeam (2% to 9%), but poorer for the Speck (8% to 25%). These findings suggest that the Foobot, with a linear response to different aerosol types and good precision, can provide reasonable estimates of PM 2.5 in the workplace after site-specific calibration to account for particle size and composition.

ACTRIS ACSM intercomparison - Part 2: Intercomparison of ME-2 organic source apportionment results from 15 individual, co-located aerosol mass spectrometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fröhlich, R.; Crenn, V.; Setyan, A.; Belis, C. A.; Canonaco, F.; Favez, O.; Riffault, V.; Slowik, J. G.; Aas, W.; Aijälä, M.; Alastuey, A.; Artiñano, B.; Bonnaire, N.; Bozzetti, C.; Bressi, M.; Carbone, C.; Coz, E.; Croteau, P. L.; Cubison, M. J.; Esser-Gietl, J. K.; Green, D. C.; Gros, V.; Heikkinen, L.; Herrmann, H.; Jayne, J. T.; Lunder, C. R.; Minguillón, M. C.; Močnik, G.; O'Dowd, C. D.; Ovadnevaite, J.; Petralia, E.; Poulain, L.; Priestman, M.; Ripoll, A.; Sarda-Estève, R.; Wiedensohler, A.; Baltensperger, U.; Sciare, J.; Prévôt, A. S. H.

2015-06-01

Chemically resolved atmospheric aerosol data sets from the largest intercomparison of the Aerodyne aerosol chemical speciation monitors (ACSMs) performed to date were collected at the French atmospheric supersite SIRTA. In total 13 quadrupole ACSMs (Q-ACSM) from the European ACTRIS ACSM network, one time-of-flight ACSM (ToF-ACSM), and one high-resolution ToF aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) were operated in parallel for about 3 weeks in November and December~2013. Part 1 of this study reports on the accuracy and precision of the instruments for all the measured species. In this work we report on the intercomparison of organic components and the results from factor analysis source apportionment by positive matrix factorisation (PMF) utilising the multilinear engine 2 (ME-2). Except for the organic contribution of mass-to-charge ratio m/z 44 to the total organics (f44), which varied by factors between 0.6 and 1.3 compared to the mean, the peaks in the organic mass spectra were similar among instruments. The m/z 44 differences in the spectra resulted in a variable f44 in the source profiles extracted by ME-2, but had only a minor influence on the extracted mass contributions of the sources. The presented source apportionment yielded four factors for all 15 instruments: hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol (HOA), cooking-related organic aerosol (COA), biomass burning-related organic aerosol (BBOA) and secondary oxygenated organic aerosol (OOA). ME-2 boundary conditions (profile constraints) were optimised individually by means of correlation to external data in order to achieve equivalent / comparable solutions for all ACSM instruments and the results are discussed together with the investigation of the influence of alternative anchors (reference profiles). A comparison of the ME-2 source apportionment output of all 15 instruments resulted in relative standard deviations (SD) from the mean between 13.7 and 22.7 % of the source's average mass contribution depending on the

A Global, Decadal, Quantitative Record of Absorbing Aerosols above Cloud Using OMI's Near-UV Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torres, O.; Jethva, H. T.; Ahn, C.

2016-12-01

Aerosol-cloud interaction continues to be one of the leading uncertain components of climate models, primarily due to the lack of an adequate knowledge of the complex microphysical and radiative processes of the aerosol-cloud system. The situations when aerosols and clouds are found in the same atmospheric column, for instance, when light-absorbing aerosols such as biomass burning generated carbonaceous particles or wind-blown dust overlay low-level cloud decks, are commonly found over several regions of the world. Contrary to the known cooling effects of these aerosols in cloud-free scenario over dark surface, the overlapping situation of absorbing aerosols over cloud can potentially exert a significant level of atmospheric absorption and produces a positive radiative forcing (warming) at top-of-atmosphere. The magnitude of direct radiative effects of aerosols above cloud directly depends on the aerosol loading, microphysical and optical properties of the aerosol layer and the underlying cloud deck, and geometric cloud fraction. We help in addressing this problem by introducing a novel product of above-cloud aerosol optical depth (ACAOD) of absorbing aerosols retrieved from near-UV observations made by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on board NASA's Aura platform. Physically based on the strong `color ratio' effect in the near-UV caused by the spectral absorption of aerosols above cloud, the algorithm, formally named as OMACA, retrieves the optical depths of aerosols and clouds simultaneously under a prescribed state of atmosphere. Here, we present the algorithm architecture and results from an 11-year global record (2005-2015) including global climatology of frequency of occurrence and ACAOD. The theoretical uncertainty analysis and planned validation activities using measurements from upcoming field campaigns are also discussed.

Earth cloud, aerosol, and radiation explorer optical payload development status

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hélière, A.; Wallace, K.; Pereira do Carmo, J.; Lefebvre, A.

2017-09-01

The European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) are co-operating to develop as part of ESA's Living Planet Programme, the third Earth Explorer Core Mission, EarthCARE, with the ojective of improving the understanding of the processes involving clouds, aerosols and radiation in the Earth's atmosphere. EarthCARE payload consists of two active and two passive instruments: an ATmospheric LIDar (ATLID), a Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR), a Multi-Spectral Imager (MSI) and a Broad-Band Radiometer (BBR). The four instruments data are processed individually and in a synergetic manner to produce a large range of products, which include vertical profiles of aerosols, liquid water and ice, observations of cloud distribution and vertical motion within clouds, and will allow the retrieval of profiles of atmospheric radiative heating and cooling. MSI is a compact instrument with a 150 km swath providing 500 m pixel data in seven channels, whose retrieved data will give context to the active instrument measurements, as well as providing cloud and aerosol information. BBR measures reflected solar and emitted thermal radiation from the scene. Operating in the UV range at 355 nm, ATLID provides atmospheric echoes from ground to an altitude of 40 km. Thanks to a high spectral resolution filtering, the lidar is able to separate the relative contribution of aerosol and molecular scattering, which gives access to aerosol optical depth. Co-polarised and cross-polarised components of the Mie scattering contribution are measured on dedicated channels. This paper will provide a description of the optical payload implementation, the design and characterisation of the instruments.

Source apportionment of submicron organic aerosol collected from Atlanta, Georgia, during 2014-2015 using the aerosol chemical speciation monitor (ACSM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rattanavaraha, Weruka; Canagaratna, Manjula R.; Budisulistiorini, Sri Hapsari; Croteau, Philip L.; Baumann, Karsten; Canonaco, Francesco; Prevot, Andre S. H.; Edgerton, Eric S.; Zhang, Zhenfa; Jayne, John T.; Worsnop, Douglas R.; Gold, Avram; Shaw, Stephanie L.; Surratt, Jason D.

2017-10-01

The Aerodyne Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM) was redeployed at the Jefferson Street (JST) site in downtown Atlanta, Georgia (GA) for 1 year (March 20, 2014-February 08, 2015) to chemically characterize non-refractory submicron particulate matter (NR-PM1) in near real-time and to assess whether organic aerosol (OA) types and amounts change from year-to-year. Submicron organic aerosol (OA) mass spectra were analyzed by season using multilinear engine (ME-2) to apportion OA subtypes to potential sources and chemical processes. A suite of real-time collocated measurements from the Southeastern Aerosol Research and Characterization (SEARCH) network was compared with ME-2 factor solutions to aid in the interpretation of OA subtypes during each season. OA tracers measured from high-volume filter samples using gas chromatography interfaced with electron ionization-mass spectrometry (GC/EI-MS) also aided in identifying OA sources. The initial application of ME-2 to the yearlong ACSM dataset revealed that OA source apportionment by season was required to better resolve sporadic OA types. Spring and fall OA mass spectral datasets were separated into finer periods to capture potential OA sources resulting from non-homogeneous emissions during transitioning periods. NR-PM1 was highest in summer (16.7 ± 8.4 μg m-3) and lowest in winter (8.0 ± 5.7 μg m-3), consistent with prior studies. OA dominated NR-PM1 mass (56-74% on average) in all seasons. Hydrocarbon-like OA (HOA) from primary emissions was observed in all seasons, averaging 5-22% of total OA mass. Strong correlations of HOA with carbon monoxide (CO) (R = 0.71-0.88) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) (R = 0.55-0.79) indicated that vehicular traffic was the likely source. Biomass burning OA (BBOA) was observed in all seasons, with lower contributions (2%) in summer and higher in colder seasons (averaging 8-20% of total OA mass). BBOA correlated strongly with levoglucosan (R = 0.78-0.95) during colder seasons

Black carbon aerosol mixing state, organic aerosols and aerosol optical properties over the UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McMeeking, G. R.; Morgan, W. T.; Flynn, M.; Highwood, E. J.; Turnbull, K.; Haywood, J.; Coe, H.

2011-05-01

Black carbon (BC) aerosols absorb sunlight thereby leading to a positive radiative forcing and a warming of climate and can also impact human health through their impact on the respiratory system. The state of mixing of BC with other aerosol species, particularly the degree of internal/external mixing, has been highlighted as a major uncertainty in assessing its radiative forcing and hence its climate impact, but few in situ observations of mixing state exist. We present airborne single particle soot photometer (SP2) measurements of refractory BC (rBC) mass concentrations and mixing state coupled with aerosol composition and optical properties measured in urban plumes and regional pollution over the UK. All data were obtained using instrumentation flown on the UK's BAe-146-301 large Atmospheric Research Aircraft (ARA) operated by the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM). We measured sub-micron aerosol composition using an aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) and used positive matrix factorization to separate hydrocarbon-like (HOA) and oxygenated organic aerosols (OOA). We found a higher number fraction of thickly coated rBC particles in air masses with large OOA relative to HOA, higher ozone-to-nitrogen oxides (NOx) ratios and large concentrations of total sub-micron aerosol mass relative to rBC mass concentrations. The more ozone- and OOA-rich air masses were associated with transport from continental Europe, while plumes from UK cities had higher HOA and NOx and fewer thickly coated rBC particles. We did not observe any significant change in the rBC mass absorption efficiency calculated from rBC mass and light absorption coefficients measured by a particle soot absorption photometer despite observing significant changes in aerosol composition and rBC mixing state. The contributions of light scattering and absorption to total extinction (quantified by the single scattering albedo; SSA) did change for different air masses, with lower SSA observed in

Method and apparatus for calibrating a particle emissions monitor

DOEpatents

Flower, W.L.; Renzi, R.F.

1998-07-07

The invention discloses a method and apparatus for calibrating particulate emissions monitors, in particular, sampling probes, and in general, without removing the instrument from the system being monitored. A source of one or more specific metals in aerosol (either solid or liquid) or vapor form is housed in the instrument. The calibration operation is initiated by moving a focusing lens, used to focus a light beam onto an analysis location and collect the output light response, from an operating position to a calibration position such that the focal point of the focusing lens is now within a calibration stream issuing from a calibration source. The output light response from the calibration stream can be compared to that derived from an analysis location in the operating position to more accurately monitor emissions within the emissions flow stream. 6 figs.

Method and apparatus for calibrating a particle emissions monitor

DOEpatents

Flower, William L.; Renzi, Ronald F.

1998-07-07

The instant invention discloses method and apparatus for calibrating particulate emissions monitors, in particular, and sampling probes, in general, without removing the instrument from the system being monitored. A source of one or more specific metals in aerosol (either solid or liquid) or vapor form is housed in the instrument. The calibration operation is initiated by moving a focusing lens, used to focus a light beam onto an analysis location and collect the output light response, from an operating position to a calibration position such that the focal point of the focusing lens is now within a calibration stream issuing from a calibration source. The output light response from the calibration stream can be compared to that derived from an analysis location in the operating position to more accurately monitor emissions within the emissions flow stream.

OMPS Limb Profiler: Extending SAGE and CALIPSO Stratospheric Aerosol Records

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taha, G.; Bhartia, P. K.; Chen, Z.; Xu, P.; Loughman, R. P.; Jaross, G.

2017-12-01

The OMPS LP instrument is designed to provide high vertical resolution ozone and aerosol profiles from measurements of the scattered solar radiation in the 290-1000 nm spectral range. It collected its first Earth limb measurement in January 10, 2012, and continues to provide daily global measurements of ozone and aerosol profiles from the cloud top up to 60 km and 40 km respectively. The relatively high vertical and spatial sampling allow detection and tracking periodic events when aerosol particles are injected into the stratosphere, such as volcanic eruptions or meteor explosions. OMPS LP can extend the long-term records of stratospheric aerosol at high vertical resolution produced by variety of sensors, such as SAGEII, GOMOS, OSIRIS and CALIPSO. Most of these instruments ceased to operate or well beyond their designed lifetime. After an absence of over a decade, SAGE III/ISS was launched earlier this year and expected to resume the high quality aerosol data record. OMPS LP is also schedule to fly on JPSS-2 and 3. In this study we will examine the suitability of using LP profiles to continue the stratospheric aerosol records beyond SAGE, OSIRIS, and CALIPSO. We will compare OMPS LP released V1.0 aerosol extinction measurements to OSIRIS and CALIPSO. Initial results shows good agreement with OSIRIS measurements to within 20%, with larger bias in the southern hemisphere. To test the effect of the assumed aerosol size model (ASD) and phase function, we compare measurements taken at similar location and time with different viewing geometry. Comparison of ascending and descending aerosol extinction daily zonal means at high latitudes shows systematic bias that is well correlated with the solar scattering angle, indicating ASD uncertainties up to 30%. In addition, results showing latitudinal, and temporal variability of stratospheric aerosol extinction and optical depth for the three instruments will also be presented and compared. We will also present OMPS LP aerosol

Final Project Report - ARM CLASIC CIRPAS Twin Otter Aerosol

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

John A. Ogren

2010-04-05

The NOAA/ESRL/GMD aerosol group made three types of contributions related to airborne measurements of aerosol light scattering and absorption for the Cloud and Land Surface Interaction Campaign (CLASIC) in June 2007 on the Twin Otter research airplane operated by the Center for Interdisciplinary Remotely-Piloted Aircraft Studies (CIRPAS). GMD scientists served as the instrument mentor for the integrating nephelometer and particle soot absorption photometer (PSAP) on the Twin Otter during CLASIC, and were responsible for (1) instrument checks/comparisons; (2) instrument trouble shooting/repair; and (3) data quality control (QC) and submittal to the archive.

The CU 2-D-MAX-DOAS instrument - Part 2: Raman scattering probability measurements and retrieval of aerosol optical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortega, Ivan; Coburn, Sean; Berg, Larry K.; Lantz, Kathy; Michalsky, Joseph; Ferrare, Richard A.; Hair, Johnathan W.; Hostetler, Chris A.; Volkamer, Rainer

2016-08-01

The multiannual global mean of aerosol optical depth at 550 nm (AOD550) over land is ˜ 0.19, and that over oceans is ˜ 0.13. About 45 % of the Earth surface shows AOD550 smaller than 0.1. There is a need for measurement techniques that are optimized to measure aerosol optical properties under low AOD conditions. We present an inherently calibrated retrieval (i.e., no need for radiance calibration) to simultaneously measure AOD and the aerosol phase function parameter, g, based on measurements of azimuth distributions of the Raman scattering probability (RSP), the near-absolute rotational Raman scattering (RRS) intensity. We employ radiative transfer model simulations to show that for solar azimuth RSP measurements at solar elevation and solar zenith angle (SZA) smaller than 80°, RSP is insensitive to the vertical distribution of aerosols and maximally sensitive to changes in AOD and g under near-molecular scattering conditions. The University of Colorado two-dimensional Multi-AXis Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (CU 2-D-MAX-DOAS) instrument was deployed as part of the Two Column Aerosol Project (TCAP) at Cape Cod, MA, during the summer of 2012 to measure direct sun spectra and RSP from scattered light spectra at solar relative azimuth angles (SRAAs) between 5 and 170°. During two case study days with (1) high aerosol load (17 July, 0.3 < AOD430 < 0.6) and (2) near-molecular scattering conditions (22 July, AOD430 < 0.13) we compare RSP-based retrievals of AOD430 and g with data from a co-located CIMEL sun photometer, Multi-Filter Rotating Shadowband Radiometer (MFRSR), and an airborne High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL-2). The average difference (relative to DOAS) for AOD430 is +0.012 ± 0.023 (CIMEL), -0.012 ± 0.024 (MFRSR), -0.011 ± 0.014 (HSRL-2), and +0.023 ± 0.013 (CIMELAOD - MFRSRAOD) and yields the following expressions for correlations between different instruments

SPEX: a highly accurate spectropolarimeter for atmospheric aerosol characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rietjens, J. H. H.; Smit, J. M.; di Noia, A.; Hasekamp, O. P.; van Harten, G.; Snik, F.; Keller, C. U.

2017-11-01

Global characterization of atmospheric aerosol in terms of the microphysical properties of the particles is essential for understanding the role aerosols in Earth climate [1]. For more accurate predictions of future climate the uncertainties of the net radiative forcing of aerosols in the Earth's atmosphere must be reduced [2]. Essential parameters that are needed as input in climate models are not only the aerosol optical thickness (AOT), but also particle specific properties such as the aerosol mean size, the single scattering albedo (SSA) and the complex refractive index. The latter can be used to discriminate between absorbing and non-absorbing aerosol types, and between natural and anthropogenic aerosol. Classification of aerosol types is also very important for air-quality and health-related issues [3]. Remote sensing from an orbiting satellite platform is the only way to globally characterize atmospheric aerosol at a relevant timescale of 1 day [4]. One of the few methods that can be employed for measuring the microphysical properties of aerosols is to observe both radiance and degree of linear polarization of sunlight scattered in the Earth atmosphere under different viewing directions [5][6][7]. The requirement on the absolute accuracy of the degree of linear polarization PL is very stringent: the absolute error in PL must be smaller then 0.001+0.005.PL in order to retrieve aerosol parameters with sufficient accuracy to advance climate modelling and to enable discrimination of aerosol types based on their refractive index for air-quality studies [6][7]. In this paper we present the SPEX instrument, which is a multi-angle spectropolarimeter that can comply with the polarimetric accuracy needed for characterizing aerosols in the Earth's atmosphere. We describe the implementation of spectral polarization modulation in a prototype instrument of SPEX and show results of ground based measurements from which aerosol microphysical properties are retrieved.

Chromatography related performance of the Monitor for Aerosols and Gases in Ambient Air (MARGA): laboratory and field based evaluation

EPA Science Inventory

Evaluation of the semi-continuous Monitor for Aerosols and Gases in Ambient Air (MARGA, Metrohm Applikon B.V.) was conducted with an emphasis on examination of accuracy and precision associated with processing of chromatograms. Using laboratory standards and atmospheric measureme...

Radiative effects of absorbing aerosols over northeastern India: Observations and model simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gogoi, Mukunda M.; Babu, S. Suresh; Moorthy, K. Krishna; Bhuyan, Pradip Kumar; Pathak, Binita; Subba, Tamanna; Chutia, Lakhima; Kundu, Shyam Sundar; Bharali, Chandrakala; Borgohain, Arup; Guha, Anirban; De, Barin Kumar; Singh, Brajamani; Chin, Mian

2017-01-01

Multiyear measurements of spectral properties of aerosol absorption are examined over four geographically distinct locations of northeastern India. Results indicated significant spatiotemporal variation in aerosol absorption coefficients (σabs) with highest values in winter and lowest in monsoon. The western parts of the region, close to the outflow of Indo-Gangetic Plains, showed higher values of σabs and black carbon (BC) concentration—mostly associated with fossil fuel combustion. But, the eastern parts showed higher contributions from biomass-burning aerosols, as much as 20-25% to the total aerosol absorption, conspicuously during premonsoon season. This is attributed to a large number of burning activities over the Southeast Asian region, as depicted from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer fire count maps, whose spatial extent and magnitude peaks during March/April. The nearly consistent high values of aerosol index (AI) and layer height from Ozone Monitoring Instrument indicate the presence of absorbing aerosols in the upper atmosphere. The observed seasonality has been captured fairly well by Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) as well as Weather Research and Forecasting-Chemistry (WRF-Chem) model simulations. The ratio of column-integrated optical depths due to particulate organic matter and BC from GOCART showed good coincidence with satellite-based observations, indicating the increased vertical dispersion of absorbing aerosols, probably by the additional local convection due to higher fire radiative power caused by the intense biomass-burning activities. In the WRF-Chem though underperformed by different magnitude in winter, the values are closer or overestimated near the burnt areas. Atmospheric forcing due to BC was highest ( 30 Wm-2) over the western part associated with the fossil fuel combustion.

Aerosol chemistry in GLOBE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clarke, Antony D.; Rothermel, Jeffry; Jarzembski, Maurice A.

1993-01-01

This task addresses the measurement and understanding of the physical and chemical properties of aerosol in remote regions that are responsible for aerosol backscatter at infrared wavelengths. Because it is representative of other clean areas, the remote Pacific is of extreme interest. Emphasis is on the determination size dependent aerosol properties that are required for modeling backscatter at various wavelengths and upon those features that may be used to help understand the nature, origin, cycling and climatology of these aerosols in the remote troposphere. Empirical relationships will be established between lidar measurements and backscatter derived from the aerosol microphysics as required by the NASA Doppler Lidar Program. This will include the analysis of results from the NASA GLOBE Survey Mission Flight Program. Additional instrument development and deployment will be carried out in order to extend and refine this data base. Identified activities include participation in groundbased and airborne experiments. Progress to date includes participation in, analysis of, and publication of results from Mauna Loa Backscatter Intercomparison Experiment (MABIE) and Global Backscatter Experiment (GLOBE).

Aerosol growth in Titan's ionosphere.

PubMed

Lavvas, Panayotis; Yelle, Roger V; Koskinen, Tommi; Bazin, Axel; Vuitton, Véronique; Vigren, Erik; Galand, Marina; Wellbrock, Anne; Coates, Andrew J; Wahlund, Jan-Erik; Crary, Frank J; Snowden, Darci

2013-02-19

Photochemically produced aerosols are common among the atmospheres of our solar system and beyond. Observations and models have shown that photochemical aerosols have direct consequences on atmospheric properties as well as important astrobiological ramifications, but the mechanisms involved in their formation remain unclear. Here we show that the formation of aerosols in Titan's upper atmosphere is directly related to ion processes, and we provide a complete interpretation of observed mass spectra by the Cassini instruments from small to large masses. Because all planetary atmospheres possess ionospheres, we anticipate that the mechanisms identified here will be efficient in other environments as well, modulated by the chemical complexity of each atmosphere.

MAUVE/SWIPE: an imaging instrument concept with multi-angular, -spectral, and -polarized capability for remote sensing of aerosols, ocean color, clouds, and vegetation from space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frouin, Robert; Deschamps, Pierre-Yves; Rothschild, Richard; Stephan, Edward; Leblanc, Philippe; Duttweiler, Fred; Ghaemi, Tony; Riedi, Jérôme

2006-12-01

The Monitoring Aerosols in the Ultraviolet Experiment (MAUVE) and the Short-Wave Infrared Polarimeter Experiment (SWIPE) instruments have been designed to collect, from a typical sun-synchronous polar orbit at 800 km altitude, global observations of the spectral, polarized, and directional radiance reflected by the earth-atmosphere system for a wide range of applications. Based on the heritage of the POLDER radiometer, the MAUVE/SWIPE instrument concept combines the merits of TOMS for observing in the ultra-violet, MISR for wide field-of-view range, MODIS, for multi-spectral aspects in the visible and near infrared, and the POLDER instrument for polarization. The instruments are camera systems with 2-dimensional detector arrays, allowing a 120-degree field-of-view with adequate ground resolution (i.e., 0.4 or 0.8 km at nadir) from satellite altitude. Multi-angle viewing is achieved by the along-track migration at spacecraft velocity of the 2-dimensional field-of-view. Between the cameras' optical assembly and detector array are two filter wheels, one carrying spectral filters, the other polarizing filters, allowing measurements of the first three Stokes parameters, I. Q, and V, of the incident radiation in 16 spectral bands optimally placed in the interval 350-2200 nm. The spectral range is 350-1050 nm for the MAUVE instrument and 1050-2200 nm for the SWIPE instrument. The radiometric requirements are defined to fully exploit the multi-angular, multi-spectral, and multi-polarized capability of the instruments. These include a wide dynamic range, a signal-to-noise ratio above 500 in all channels at maximum radiance level, i.e., when viewing a surface target of albedo equal to 1, and a noise-equivalent-differential reflectance better than 0.0005 at low signal level for a sun at zenith. To achieve daily global coverage, a pair of MAUVE and SWIPE instruments would be carried by each of two mini-satellites placed on interlaced orbits. The equator crossing time of the

Coupling Satellite and Ground-Based Instruments to Map Climate Forcing by Anthropogenic Aerosols

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Charlson, Robert J.; Anderson, Theodore L.; Hostetler, Chris (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Climate forcing by anthropogenic aerosols is a significant but highly uncertain factor in global climate change. Only satellites can offer the global coverage essential to reducing this uncertainty; however, satellite measurements must be coupled with correlative, in situ measurements both to constrain the aerosol optical properties required in satellite retrieval algorithms and to provide chemical identification of aerosol sources. This grant funded the first two years of a three-year project which seeks to develop methodologies for combining spaceborne lidar with in-situ aerosol data sets to improve estimates of direct aerosol climate forcing. Progress under this two-year grant consisted in the development and deployment of a new in-situ capability for measuring aerosol 180' backscatter and the extinction-to-backscatter ratio. This new measurement capacity allows definitive lidar/in-situ comparisons and improves our ability to interpret lidar data in terms of climatically relevant quantities such as the extinction coefficient and optical depth. Measurements were made along the coast of Washington State, in Central Illinois, over the Indian Ocean, and in the Central Pacific. Thus, this research, combined with previous measurements by others, is rapidly building toward a global data set of extinction-to-backscatter ratio for key aerosol types. Such information will be critical to interpreting lidar data from the upcoming PICASSO-CENA, or P-C, satellite mission. Another aspect of this project is to investigate innovative ways to couple the lidar-satellite signal with targeted in-situ measurements toward a direct determination of aerosol forcing. This aspect is progressing in collaboration with NASA Langley's P-C lidar simulator and radiative transfer modeling by the University of Lille, France.

Coupling Satellite and Ground-Based Instruments to Map Climate Forcing by Anthropogenic Aerosol

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Charlson, Robert J.; Anderson, Theodore L.; Hostetler, Chris (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Climate forcing by anthropogenic aerosols is a significant but highly uncertain factor in global climate change. Only satellites can offer the global coverage essential to reducing this uncertainty; however, satellite measurements must be coupled with correlative, in situ measurements both to constrain the aerosol optical properties required in satellite retrieval algorithms and to provide chemical identification of aerosol sources. This grant funded the third year of a three-year project which seeks to develop methodologies for combining spaceborne lidar with in-situ aerosol data sets to improve estimates of direct aerosol climate forcing. Progress under this one-year grant consisted in analysis and publication of field studies using a new in-situ capability for measuring aerosol 180 deg backscatter and the extinction-to-backscatter ratio. This new measurement capacity allows definitive lidar/in-situ comparisons and improves our ability to interpret lidar data in terms of climatically relevant quantities such as the extinction coefficient and optical depth. Analyzed data consisted of measurements made along the coast of Washington State, in Central Illinois, over the Indian Ocean, and in the Central Pacific. Thus, this research, combined with previous measurements by others, is rapidly building toward a global data set of extinction-to-backscatter ratio for key aerosol types. Such information will be critical to interpreting lidar data from the upcoming PICASSO-CENA, or P-C, satellite mission. Another aspect of this project is to investigate innovative ways to couple the lidar-satellite signal with target in-situ measurements toward a direct determination of aerosol forcing. This aspect is progressing in collaboration with NASA Langley's P-C lidar simulator.

The Automated Instrumentation and Monitoring System (AIMS) reference manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yan, Jerry; Hontalas, Philip; Listgarten, Sherry

1993-01-01

Whether a researcher is designing the 'next parallel programming paradigm,' another 'scalable multiprocessor' or investigating resource allocation algorithms for multiprocessors, a facility that enables parallel program execution to be captured and displayed is invaluable. Careful analysis of execution traces can help computer designers and software architects to uncover system behavior and to take advantage of specific application characteristics and hardware features. A software tool kit that facilitates performance evaluation of parallel applications on multiprocessors is described. The Automated Instrumentation and Monitoring System (AIMS) has four major software components: a source code instrumentor which automatically inserts active event recorders into the program's source code before compilation; a run time performance-monitoring library, which collects performance data; a trace file animation and analysis tool kit which reconstructs program execution from the trace file; and a trace post-processor which compensate for data collection overhead. Besides being used as prototype for developing new techniques for instrumenting, monitoring, and visualizing parallel program execution, AIMS is also being incorporated into the run-time environments of various hardware test beds to evaluate their impact on user productivity. Currently, AIMS instrumentors accept FORTRAN and C parallel programs written for Intel's NX operating system on the iPSC family of multi computers. A run-time performance-monitoring library for the iPSC/860 is included in this release. We plan to release monitors for other platforms (such as PVM and TMC's CM-5) in the near future. Performance data collected can be graphically displayed on workstations (e.g. Sun Sparc and SGI) supporting X-Windows (in particular, Xl IR5, Motif 1.1.3).

The Physics and Chemistry of Marine Aerosols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russell, Lynn M.

Understanding the physics and chemistry of the marine atmosphere requires both predicting the evolution of its gas and aerosol phases and making observations that reflect the processes in that evolution. This work presents a model of the most fundamental physical and chemical processes important in the marine atmosphere, and discusses the current uncertainties in our theoretical understanding of those processes. Backing up these predictions with observations requires improved instrumentation for field measurements of aerosol. One important advance in this instrumentation is described for accelerating the speed of size distribution measurements. Observations of aerosols in the marine boundary layer during the Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment (ASTEX) provide an illustration of the impact of cloud processing in marine stratus. More advanced measurements aboard aircraft were enabled by redesigning the design of the system for separating particles by differential mobility and counting them by condensational growth. With this instrumentation, observations made during the Monterey Area Ship Tracks (MAST) Experiment have illustrated the role of aerosol emissions of ships in forming tracks in clouds. High-resolution gas chromatography and mass spectrometry was used with samples extracted by supercritical fluid extraction in order to identify the role of combustion organics in forming ship tracks. The results illustrate the need both for more sophisticated models incorporating organic species in cloud activation and for more extensive boundary layer observations.

Photoacoustic absorption spectroscopy of single optically trapped aerosol droplets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Covert, Paul A.; Cremer, Johannes W.; Signorell, Ruth

2017-08-01

Photoacoustics have been widely used for the study of aerosol optical properties. To date, these studies have been performed on particle ensembles, with minimal ability to control for particle size. Here, we present our singleparticle photoacoustic spectrometer. The sensitivity and stability of the instrument is discussed, along with results from two experiments that illustrate the unique capabilities of this instrument. In the first experiment, we present a measurement of the particle size-dependence of the photoacoustic response. Our results confirm previous models of aerosol photoacoustics that had yet to be experimentally tested. The second set of results reveals a size-dependence of photochemical processes within aerosols that results from the nanofocusing of light within individual droplets.

Satellite Remote Sensing: Aerosol Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kahn, Ralph A.

2013-01-01

Aerosols are solid or liquid particles suspended in the air, and those observed by satellite remote sensing are typically between about 0.05 and 10 microns in size. (Note that in traditional aerosol science, the term "aerosol" refers to both the particles and the medium in which they reside, whereas for remote sensing, the term commonly refers to the particles only. In this article, we adopt the remote-sensing definition.) They originate from a great diversity of sources, such as wildfires, volcanoes, soils and desert sands, breaking waves, natural biological activity, agricultural burning, cement production, and fossil fuel combustion. They typically remain in the atmosphere from several days to a week or more, and some travel great distances before returning to Earth's surface via gravitational settling or washout by precipitation. Many aerosol sources exhibit strong seasonal variability, and most experience inter-annual fluctuations. As such, the frequent, global coverage that space-based aerosol remote-sensing instruments can provide is making increasingly important contributions to regional and larger-scale aerosol studies.

Time resolved aerosol monitoring in the urban centre of Soweto

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Formenti, P.; Annegarn, H. J.; Piketh, S. J.

1998-03-01

A programme of aerosol sampling was conducted from 1982 to 1984 in the urban area of Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa. The particulate matter (aerodynamic diameter <15 μm) was collected using a two hours time resolution single stage streaker sampler and elemental concentrations were resolved via Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) analysis. Samples have been selected for analysis from an aerosol sample archive to establish base-line atmospheric conditions that existed in Soweto prior to large scale electrification, and to establish source apportionment of crustal elements between coal smoke and traffic induced road dust, based on chemical elemental measurements. A novel technique is demonstrated for processing PIXE-derived time sequence elemental concentration vectors. Slowly varying background components have been extracted from sulphur and crustal aerosol components, using alternatively two digital filters: a moving minimum, and a moving average. The residuals of the crustal elements, assigned to locally generated aerosol components, were modelled using surrogate tracers: sulphur as a surrogate for coal smoke; and Pb as a surrogate for traffic activity. Results from this source apportionment revealed coal emissions contributed between 40% and 50% of the aerosol mineral matter, while 18-22% originated from road dust. Background aerosol, characteristic of the regional winter aerosol burden over the South African Highveld, was between 12% and 21%. Minor contributors identified included a manganese smelter, located 30 km from the sampling site, and informal trash burning, as the source of intermittent heavy metals (Cu, Zn). Elemental source profiles derived for these various sources are presented.

Aerosols and lightning activity: The effect of vertical profile and aerosol type

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Proestakis, E.; Kazadzis, S.; Lagouvardos, K.; Kotroni, V.; Amiridis, V.; Marinou, E.; Price, C.; Kazantzidis, A.

2016-12-01

The Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) instrument on board the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) satellite has been utilized for the first time in a study regarding lightning activity modulation due to aerosols. Lightning activity observations, obtained by the ZEUS long range Lightning Detection Network, European Centre for Medium range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE) data and Cloud Fraction (CF) retrieved by MODIS on board Aqua satellite have been combined with CALIPSO CALIOP data over the Mediterranean basin and for the period March to November, from 2007 to 2014. The results indicate that lightning activity is enhanced during days characterized by higher Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) values, compared to days with no lightning. This study contributes to existing studies on the link between lightning activity and aerosols, which have been based just on columnar AOD satellite retrievals, by performing a deeper analysis into the effect of aerosol profiles and aerosol types. Correlation coefficients of R = 0.73 between the CALIPSO AOD and the number of lightning strikes detected by ZEUS and of R = 0.93 between ECMWF CAPE and lightning activity are obtained. The analysis of extinction coefficient values at 532 nm indicates that at an altitudinal range exists, between 1.1 km and 2.9 km, where the values for extinction coefficient of lightning-active and non-lightning-active cases are statistically significantly different. Finally, based on the CALIPSO aerosol subtype classification, we have investigated the aerosol conditions of lightning-active and non-lightning-active cases. According to the results polluted dust aerosols are more frequently observed during non-lightning-active days, while dust and smoke aerosols are more abundant in the atmosphere during the lightning-active days.

Black carbon aerosol mixing state, organic aerosols and aerosol optical properties over the United Kingdom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McMeeking, G. R.; Morgan, W. T.; Flynn, M.; Highwood, E. J.; Turnbull, K.; Haywood, J.; Coe, H.

2011-09-01

Black carbon (BC) aerosols absorb sunlight thereby leading to a positive radiative forcing and a warming of climate and can also impact human health through their impact on the respiratory system. The state of mixing of BC with other aerosol species, particularly the degree of internal/external mixing, has been highlighted as a major uncertainty in assessing its radiative forcing and hence its climate impact, but few in situ observations of mixing state exist. We present airborne single particle soot photometer (SP2) measurements of refractory BC (rBC) mass concentrations and mixing state coupled with aerosol composition and optical properties measured in urban plumes and regional pollution over the United Kingdom. All data were obtained using instrumentation flown on the UK's BAe-146-301 large Atmospheric Research Aircraft (ARA) operated by the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM). We measured sub-micron aerosol composition using an aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) and used positive matrix factorization to separate hydrocarbon-like (HOA) and oxygenated organic aerosols (OOA). We found a higher number fraction of thickly coated rBC particles in air masses with large OOA relative to HOA, higher ozone-to-nitrogen oxides (NOx) ratios and large concentrations of total sub-micron aerosol mass relative to rBC mass concentrations. The more ozone- and OOA-rich air masses were associated with transport from continental Europe, while plumes from UK cities had higher HOA and NOx and fewer thickly coated rBC particles. We did not observe any significant change in the rBC mass absorption efficiency calculated from rBC mass and light absorption coefficients measured by a particle soot absorption photometer despite observing significant changes in aerosol composition and rBC mixing state. The contributions of light scattering and absorption to total extinction (quantified by the single scattering albedo; SSA) did change for different air masses, with lower SSA

Comparison Between NPP-VIIRS Aerosol Data Products and the MODIS AQUA Deep Blue Collection 6 Dataset Over Land

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sayer, Andrew M.; Hsu, N. C.; Bettenhausen, C.; Lee, J.; Kondragunta, S.

2013-01-01

Aerosols are small particles suspended in the atmosphere and have a variety of natural and man-made sources. Knowledge of aerosol optical depth (AOD), which is a measure of the amount of aerosol in the atmosphere, and its change over time, is important for multiple reasons. These include climate change, air quality (pollution) monitoring, monitoring hazards such as dust storms and volcanic ash, monitoring smoke from biomass burning, determining potential energy yields from solar plants, determining visibility at sea, estimating fertilization of oceans and rainforests by transported mineral dust, understanding changes in weather brought upon by the interaction of aerosols and clouds, and more. The Suomi-NPP satellite was launched late in 2011. The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) aboard Suomi-NPP is being used, among other things, to determine AOD. This study compares the VIIRS dataset to ground-based measurements of AOD, along with a state-of-the-art satellite AOD dataset (the new version of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer Deep Blue algorithm) to assess its reliability. The Suomi-NPP satellite was launched late in 2011, carrying several instruments designed to continue the biogeophysical data records of current and previous satellite sensors. The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) aboard Suomi-NPP is being used, among other things, to determine aerosol optical depth (AOD), and related activities since launch have been focused towards validating and understanding this new dataset through comparisons with other satellite and ground-based products. The operational VIIRS AOD product is compared over land with AOD derived from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) observations using the Deep Blue (DB) algorithm from the forthcoming Collection 6 of MODIS data

Seasonal differences in aerosol water may reconcile AOT and surface mass measurements in the Southeast U.S.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, T. K. V.; Ghate, V. P.; Carlton, A. M. G.

2015-12-01

Summertime aerosol optical thickness (AOT) in the Southeast U.S. is high and sharply enhanced (2-3 times) compared to wintertime AOT. This seasonal pattern is unique to the Southeast U.S. and is of particular interest because temperatures there have not warmed over the past 100 years, contrasting with trends in other U.S. regions. Some investigators hypothesize the Southeast temperature trend is due to secondary organic aerosols (SOA) formed from interactions of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) and anthropogenic emissions that create a cooling haze. However, aerosol measurements made at the surface do not exhibit strong seasonal differences in mass or organic fraction to support this hypothesis. In this work, we attempt to reconcile the spatial and temporal distribution of AOT over the U.S. with surface mass measurements by examining trends in particle-phase liquid water, an aerosol constituent that effectively scatters radiation and is removed from aerosols in mass measurements at routine surface monitoring sites. We employ the thermodynamic model ISORROPIA (v2.1) to estimate surface and aloft aerosol water mass concentrations at locations of Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) sites using measured speciated ion mass concentrations and NCEP North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) meteorological data. Results demonstrate strong seasonal differences in aerosol water in the eastern compared to the western part of the U.S., consistent with geographic patterns in AOT. The highest mean regional seasonal difference from 2000 to 2007 is 5.5 μg m-3 and occurs the Southeast, while the lowest is 0.44 μg m-3 and occurs in the dry Mountain West. Our findings suggest 1) similarity between spatial trends in aerosol water in the U.S. and previously published AOT data from the MODIS-TERRA instrument and 2) similar interannual trends in mean aerosol water and previously published interannual AOT trends from MISR, MODIS-TERRA, MODIS

The application of an improved gas and aerosol collector for ambient air pollutants in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Huabin; Zeng, Limin; Zhang, Yuanhang; Hu, Min; Wu, Yusheng

2016-04-01

An improved Gas and Aerosol Collector (GAC) equipped with a newly designed aerosol collector and a set of dull-polished wet annular denuder (WAD) was developed by Peking University based on a Steam Jet Aerosol Collector (SJAC) sampler. Combined with Ion Chromatography (IC) the new sampler performed well in laboratory tests with high collection efficiencies for SO2 (above 98 %) and particulate sulfate (as high as 99.5 %). An inter-comparison between the GAC-IC system and the filter-pack method was performed and the results indicated that the GAC-IC system could supply reliable particulate sulfate, nitrate, chloride, and ammonium data in field measurement with a much wider range of ambient concentrations. From 2008 to 2015, dozens of big field campaigns (rural and coastal sites) were executed in different parts of China, the GAC-IC system took the chance having its field measurement performance checked repeatedly and provided high quality data in ambient conditions either under high loadings of pollutants or background area. Its measurements were highly correlated with data by other commercial instruments such as the SO2 analyzer, the HONO analyzer, a filter sampler, Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS), etc. over a wide range of concentrations and proved particularly useful in future intensive campaigns or long-term monitoring stations to study various environmental issues such as secondary aerosol and haze formation. During these years of applications of GAC-IC in those field campaigns, we found some problems of several instruments running under field environment and some interesting results could also be drew from the large amount of data measured in near 20 provinces of China. Detail results will be demonstrated on the poster afterwards.

Comparison of Summer and Winter California Central Valley Aerosol Distributions from Lidar and MODIS Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, Jasper; DeYoung, Russell; Ferrare, Richard; Chu, D. Allen

2010-01-01

Aerosol distributions from two aircraft lidar campaigns conducted in the California Central Valley are compared in order to identify seasonal variations. Aircraft lidar flights were conducted in June 2003 and February 2007. While the ground PM(sub 2.5) concentration is highest in the winter, the aerosol optical depth measured from MODIS is highest in the summer. A seasonal comparison shows that PM(sub 2.5) in the winter can exceed summer PM(sub 2.5) by 55%, while summer AOD exceeds winter AOD by 43%. Higher temperatures and wildfires in the summer produce elevated aerosol layers that are detected by satellite measurements, but not surface particulate matter monitors. Temperature inversions, especially during the winter, contribute to higher PM(sub 2.5) measurements at the surface. Measurements of the boundary layer height from lidar instruments provide valuable information need to understand the relationship between satellite measurements of optical depth and in-situ measurements of PM(sub 2.5).

Monitoring the Impacts of Wildfires on Forest Ecosystems and Public Health in the Exo-Urban Environment Using High-Resolution Satellite Aerosol Products from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS).

PubMed

Huff, Amy K; Kondragunta, Shobha; Zhang, Hai; Hoff, Raymond M

2015-01-01

Increasing development of exo-urban environments and the spread of urbanization into forested areas is making humans and forest ecosystems more susceptible to the risks associated with wildfires. Larger and more damaging wildfires are having a negative impact on forest ecosystem services, and smoke from wildfires adversely affects the public health of people living in exo-urban environments. Satellite aerosol measurements are valuable tools that can track the evolution of wildfires and monitor the transport of smoke plumes. Operational users, such as air quality forecasters and fire management officials, can use satellite observations to complement ground-based and aircraft measurements of wildfire activity. To date, wildfire applications of satellite aerosol products, such as aerosol optical depth (AOD), have been limited by the relatively coarse resolution of available AOD data. However, the new Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument on the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) satellite has high-resolution AOD that is ideally suited to monitoring wildfire impacts on the exo-urban scale. Two AOD products are available from VIIRS: the 750-m × 750-m nadir resolution Intermediate Product (IP) and the 6-km × 6-km resolution Environmental Data Record product, which is aggregated from IP measurements. True color (red, green, and blue [RGB]) imagery and a smoke mask at 750-m × 750-m resolution are also available from VIIRS as decision aids for wildfire applications; they serve as counterparts to AOD measurements by providing visible information about areas of smoke in the atmosphere. To meet the needs of operational users, who do not have time to process raw data files and need access to VIIRS products in near-real time (NRT), VIIRS AOD and RGB NRT imagery are available from the Infusing satellite Data into Environmental Applications (IDEA) web site. A key feature of IDEA is an interactive visualization tool that allows users to

Monitoring the Impacts of Wildfires on Forest Ecosystems and Public Health in the Exo-Urban Environment Using High-Resolution Satellite Aerosol Products from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS)

PubMed Central

Huff, Amy K; Kondragunta, Shobha; Zhang, Hai; Hoff, Raymond M

2015-01-01

Increasing development of exo-urban environments and the spread of urbanization into forested areas is making humans and forest ecosystems more susceptible to the risks associated with wildfires. Larger and more damaging wildfires are having a negative impact on forest ecosystem services, and smoke from wildfires adversely affects the public health of people living in exo-urban environments. Satellite aerosol measurements are valuable tools that can track the evolution of wildfires and monitor the transport of smoke plumes. Operational users, such as air quality forecasters and fire management officials, can use satellite observations to complement ground-based and aircraft measurements of wildfire activity. To date, wildfire applications of satellite aerosol products, such as aerosol optical depth (AOD), have been limited by the relatively coarse resolution of available AOD data. However, the new Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument on the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) satellite has high-resolution AOD that is ideally suited to monitoring wildfire impacts on the exo-urban scale. Two AOD products are available from VIIRS: the 750-m × 750-m nadir resolution Intermediate Product (IP) and the 6-km × 6-km resolution Environmental Data Record product, which is aggregated from IP measurements. True color (red, green, and blue [RGB]) imagery and a smoke mask at 750-m × 750-m resolution are also available from VIIRS as decision aids for wildfire applications; they serve as counterparts to AOD measurements by providing visible information about areas of smoke in the atmosphere. To meet the needs of operational users, who do not have time to process raw data files and need access to VIIRS products in near-real time (NRT), VIIRS AOD and RGB NRT imagery are available from the Infusing satellite Data into Environmental Applications (IDEA) web site. A key feature of IDEA is an interactive visualization tool that allows users to

Raman spectroscopy for in-line water quality monitoring--instrumentation and potential.

PubMed

Li, Zhiyun; Deen, M Jamal; Kumar, Shiva; Selvaganapathy, P Ravi

2014-09-16

Worldwide, the access to safe drinking water is a huge problem. In fact, the number of persons without safe drinking water is increasing, even though it is an essential ingredient for human health and development. The enormity of the problem also makes it a critical environmental and public health issue. Therefore, there is a critical need for easy-to-use, compact and sensitive techniques for water quality monitoring. Raman spectroscopy has been a very powerful technique to characterize chemical composition and has been applied to many areas, including chemistry, food, material science or pharmaceuticals. The development of advanced Raman techniques and improvements in instrumentation, has significantly improved the performance of modern Raman spectrometers so that it can now be used for detection of low concentrations of chemicals such as in-line monitoring of chemical and pharmaceutical contaminants in water. This paper briefly introduces the fundamentals of Raman spectroscopy, reviews the development of Raman instrumentations and discusses advanced and potential Raman techniques for in-line water quality monitoring.

Advanced CO2 removal process control and monitor instrumentation development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heppner, D. B.; Dalhausen, M. J.; Klimes, R.

1982-01-01

A progam to evaluate, design and demonstrate major advances in control and monitor instrumentation was undertaken. A carbon dioxide removal process, one whose maturity level makes it a prime candidate for early flight demonstration was investigated. The instrumentation design incorporates features which are compatible with anticipated flight requirements. Current electronics technology and projected advances are included. In addition, the program established commonality of components for all advanced life support subsystems. It was concluded from the studies and design activities conducted under this program that the next generation of instrumentation will be greatly smaller than the prior one. Not only physical size but weight, power and heat rejection requirements were reduced in the range of 80 to 85% from the former level of research and development instrumentation. Using a microprocessor based computer, a standard computer bus structure and nonvolatile memory, improved fabrication techniques and aerospace packaging this instrumentation will greatly enhance overall reliability and total system availability.

A novel method for calculating ambient aerosol liquid water content based on measurements of a humidified nephelometer system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuang, Ye; Zhao, Chun Sheng; Zhao, Gang; Tao, Jiang Chuan; Xu, Wanyun; Ma, Nan; Bian, Yu Xuan

2018-05-01

Water condensed on ambient aerosol particles plays significant roles in atmospheric environment, atmospheric chemistry and climate. Before now, no instruments were available for real-time monitoring of ambient aerosol liquid water contents (ALWCs). In this paper, a novel method is proposed to calculate ambient ALWC based on measurements of a three-wavelength humidified nephelometer system, which measures aerosol light scattering coefficients and backscattering coefficients at three wavelengths under dry state and different relative humidity (RH) conditions, providing measurements of light scattering enhancement factor f(RH). The proposed ALWC calculation method includes two steps: the first step is the estimation of the dry state total volume concentration of ambient aerosol particles, Va(dry), with a machine learning method called random forest model based on measurements of the dry nephelometer. The estimated Va(dry) agrees well with the measured one. The second step is the estimation of the volume growth factor Vg(RH) of ambient aerosol particles due to water uptake, using f(RH) and the Ångström exponent. The ALWC is calculated from the estimated Va(dry) and Vg(RH). To validate the new method, the ambient ALWC calculated from measurements of the humidified nephelometer system during the Gucheng campaign was compared with ambient ALWC calculated from ISORROPIA thermodynamic model using aerosol chemistry data. A good agreement was achieved, with a slope and intercept of 1.14 and -8.6 µm3 cm-3 (r2 = 0.92), respectively. The advantage of this new method is that the ambient ALWC can be obtained solely based on measurements of a three-wavelength humidified nephelometer system, facilitating the real-time monitoring of the ambient ALWC and promoting the study of aerosol liquid water and its role in atmospheric chemistry, secondary aerosol formation and climate change.

Development of IDEA product for GOES-R aerosol data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hai; Hoff, Raymond M.; Kondragunta, Shobha

2009-08-01

The NOAA GOES-R Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) will have nearly the same capabilities as NASA's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) to generate multi-wavelength retrievals of aerosol optical depth (AOD) with high temporal and spatial resolution, which can be used as a surrogate of surface particulate measurements such as PM2.5 (particulate matter with diameter less than 2.5 μm). To prepare for the launch of GOES-R and its application in the air quality forecasting, we have transferred and enhanced the Infusing satellite Data into Environmental Applications (IDEA) product from University of Wisconsin to NOAA NESDIS. IDEA was created through a NASA/EPA/NOAA cooperative effort. The enhanced IDEA product provides near-real-time imagery of AOD derived from multiple satellite sensors including MODIS Terra, MODIS Aqua, GOES EAST and GOES WEST imager. Air quality forecast guidance is produced through a trajectory model initiated at locations with high AOD retrievals and/or high aerosol index (AI) from OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument). The product is currently running at http://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/smcd/spb/aq/. The IDEA system will be tested using the GOES-R ABI proxy dataset, and will be ready to operate with GOES-R aerosol data when GOES-R is launched.

A Ten-Year Global Record of Absorbing Aerosols Above Clouds from OMI's Near-UV Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jethva, Hiren; Torres, Omar; Ahn, Changwoo

2016-01-01

Aerosol-cloud interaction continues to be one of the leading uncertain components of climate models, primarily due to the lack of an adequate knowledge of the complex microphysical and radiative processes associated with the aerosol-cloud system. The situations when aerosols and clouds are found in the same atmospheric column, for instance, when light-absorbing aerosols such as biomass burning generated carbonaceous particles or wind-blown dust overlay low-level cloud decks, are commonly found over several regional of the world. Contrary to the cloud-free scenario over dark surface, for which aerosols are known to produce a net cooling effect (negative radiative forcing) on climate, the overlapping situation of absorbing aerosols over cloud can potentially exert a significant level of atmospheric absorption and produces a positive radiative forcing at top-of-atmosphere. The magnitude of direct radiative effects of aerosols above cloud depends directly on the aerosol loading, microphysical-optical properties of the aerosol layer and the underlying cloud deck, and geometric cloud fraction. We help in addressing this problem by introducing a novel product of optical depth of absorbing aerosols above clouds retrieved from near-UV observations made by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on board NASA's Aura platform. The presence of absorbing aerosols above cloud reduces the upwelling radiation reflected by cloud and produces a strong 'color ratio' effect in the near-UV region, which can be unambiguously detected in the OMI measurements. Physically based on this effect, the OMACA algorithm retrieves the optical depths of aerosols and clouds simultaneously under a prescribed state of atmosphere. The algorithm architecture and results from a ten-year global record including global climatology of frequency of occurrence and above-cloud aerosol optical depth, and a discussion on related future field campaigns are presented.

47 CFR 1.549 - Requests for extension of authority to operate without required monitors, indicating instruments...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Requests for extension of authority to operate without required monitors, indicating instruments, and EBS Attention Signal devices. 1.549 Section 1.549... required monitors, indicating instruments, and EBS Attention Signal devices. See § 73.3549. ...

Aerosol Remote Sensing from Space - Where We Stand, Where We're Heading

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kahn, Ralph

2012-01-01

The MISR and MODIS instruments aboard the NASA Earth Observing System's Terra Satellite have been collecting data containing information about the state of Earth's atmosphere and surface for over twelve years. Among the retrieved quantities are the amount and type of wildfire smoke, desert dust, volcanic effluent, urban and industrial pollution particles, and other aerosols. Data from these instruments have been used to develop a global, monthly climatology of aerosol amount that is widely used as a constraint on climate models, including those used for the 2007 IPCC assessment report. However, the broad scientific challenges of understanding aerosol impacts on climate and health place different, and very exacting demands on our measurement capabilities. And these data sets, though much more advanced in many respects than previous aerosol data records, are imperfect. The next frontier in assessing aerosol radiative forcing of climate is aerosol type, and in particular, the absorption properties of major aerosol air masses. In this presentation, I will summarize current understanding of MISR and MODIS aerosol product strengths and limitations, discuss how they relate to the bigger aerosol science questions we must address, and give my view of the way forward.

Two-Column Aerosol Project (TCAP) Field Campaign Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Berg, Larry K

This study included the deployment of the Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility’s Mobile Facility (AMF), ARM Mobile Aerosol Observing System (MAOS) and the ARM Aerial Facility (AAF). The study was a collaborative effort involving scientists from DOE national laboratories, NOAA, NASA, and universities. The AAF and MAOS were deployed for two approximately month-long Intensive Operational Periods (IOPs) conducted in June 2012 and February 2013. Seasonal differences in the aerosol chemical and optical properties observed using the AMF, AAF, and MAOS are presented in this report. The total mass loading of aerosol is found tomore » be much greater in the summer than in the winter, with the difference associated with greater amounts of organic aerosol. The mass fraction of organic aerosol is much reduced in the winter, when sulfate is the dominant aerosol type. Surprisingly, very little sea-salt aerosol was observed in the summer. In contrast, much more sea salt aerosol was observed in the winter. The mass loading of black carbon is nearly the same in both seasons. These differences lead to a relative increase in the aerosol light absorption in the winter and an associated decrease in observed single-scattering albedo. Measurements of aerosol mixing state were made using a single-particle mass spectrometer, which showed that the majority of the summertime aerosol consisted of organic compounds mixed with various amounts of sulfate. A number of other findings are also summarized in the report, including: impact of aerosol layers aloft on the column aerosol optical depth; documentation of the aerosol properties at the AMF; differences in the aerosol properties associated with both columns, which are not systematic but reflect the complicated meteorological and chemical processes that impact aerosol as it is advected away from North America; and new instruments and data-processing techniques for measuring both

Global Monitoring of Air Pollution Using Spaceborne Sensors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chu, D. A.; Kaufman, Y. J.; Tanre, D.; Remer, L. A.; Einaudi, Franco (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The MODIS sensor onboard EOS-Terra satellite provides not only daily global coverage but also high spectral (36 channels from 0.41 to 14 microns wavelength) and spatial (250m, 500m and 1km) resolution measurements. A similar MODIS instrument will be also configured into EOS-Aqua satellite to be launched soon. Using the complementary EOS-Terra and EOS-Aqua sun-synchronous orbits (10:30 AM and 1:30 PM equator-crossing time respectively), it enables us also to study the diurnal changes of the Earth system. It is unprecedented for the derivation of aerosol properties with such high spatial resolution and daily global converge. Aerosol optical depth and other aerosol properties, e.g., Angstrom coefficient over land and particle size over ocean, are derived as standard products at a spatial resolution of 10 x 10 sq km. The high resolution results are found surprisingly useful in detecting aerosols in both urban and rural regions as a result of urban/industrial pollution and biomass burning. For long-lived aerosols, the ability to monitoring the evolution of these aerosol events could help us to establish an system of air quality especially for highly populated areas. Aerosol scenarios with city pollution and biomass burning will be presented. Also presented are the method used in the derivation of aerosol optical properties and preliminary results will be presented, and issue as well as obstacles in validating aerosol optical depth with AERONET ground-based observations.

Requirements for developing a regional monitoring capacity for aerosols in Europe within EMEP.

PubMed

Kahnert, Michael; Lazaridis, Mihalis; Tsyro, Svetlana; Torseth, Kjetil

2004-07-01

The European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP) has been established to provide information to Parties to the Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution on deposition and concentration of air pollutants, as well as on the quantity and significance of long-range transmission of pollutants and transboundary fluxes. To achieve its objectives with the required scientific credibility and technical underpinning, a close integration of the programme's main elements is performed. These elements are emission inventories, chemical transport modelling, and the monitoring of atmospheric chemistry and deposition fluxes, which further are integrated towards abatement policy development. A critical element is the air pollution monitoring that is performed across Europe with a focus not only on health effect aspects and compliance monitoring, but also on process studies and source receptor relationships. Without a strong observational basis a predictive modelling capacity cannot be developed and validated. Thus the modelling success strongly depends on the quality and quantity of available observations. Particulate matter (PM) is a relatively recent addition to the EMEP monitoring programme, and the network for PM mass observations is still evolving. This article presents the current status of EMEP aerosol observations, followed by a critical evaluation in view of EMEP's main objectives and its model development requirements. Specific recommendations are given for improving the PM monitoring programme within EMEP.

An Observing System Simulation Experiment (OSSE) Investigating the OMI Aerosol Products Using Simulated Aerosol and Atmospheric Fields from the NASA GEOS-5 Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colarco, P. R.; Gasso, S.; Jethva, H. T.; Buchard, V.; Ahn, C.; Torres, O.; daSilva, A.

2016-12-01

Output from the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System, version 5 (GEOS-5) Earth system model is used to simulate the top-of-atmosphere 354 and 388 nm radiances observed by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) onboard the Aura spacecraft. The principle purpose of developing this simulator tool is to compute from the modeled fields the so-called OMI Aerosol Index (AI), which is a more fundamental retrieval product than higher level products such as the aerosol optical depth (AOD) or absorbing aerosol optical depth (AAOD). This lays the groundwork for eventually developing a capability to assimilate either the OMI AI or its radiances, which would provide further constraint on aerosol loading and absorption properties for global models. We extend the use of the simulator capability to understand the nature of the OMI aerosol retrieval algorithms themselves in an Observing System Simulation Experiment (OSSE). The simulated radiances are used to calculate the AI from the modeled fields. These radiances are also provided to the OMI aerosol algorithms, which return their own retrievals of the AI, AOD, and AAOD. Our assessment reveals that the OMI-retrieved AI can be mostly harmonized with the model-derived AI given the same radiances provided a common surface pressure field is assumed. This is important because the operational OMI algorithms presently assume a fixed pressure field, while the contribution of molecular scattering to the actual OMI signal in fact responds to the actual atmospheric pressure profile, which is accounted for in our OSSE by using GEOS-5 produced atmospheric reanalyses. Other differences between the model and OMI AI are discussed, and we present a preliminary assessment of the OMI AOD and AAOD products with respect to the known inputs from the GEOS-5 simulation.

Apparatus for rapid measurement of aerosol bulk chemical composition

DOEpatents

Lee, Yin-Nan E.; Weber, Rodney J.

2003-01-01

An apparatus and method for continuous on-line measurement of chemical composition of aerosol particles with a fast time resolution are provided. The apparatus includes a modified particle size magnifier for producing activated aerosol particles and a collection device which collects the activated aerosol particles into a liquid stream for quantitative analysis by analytical methods. The method provided for on-line measurement of chemical composition of aerosol particles includes exposing aerosol carrying sample air to hot saturated steam thereby forming activated aerosol particles; collecting the activated aerosol particles by a collection device for delivery as a jet stream onto an impaction surface; flushing off the activated aerosol particles from the impaction surface into a liquid stream for delivery of the collected liquid stream to an analytical instrument for quantitative measurement.

Apparatus for rapid measurement of aerosol bulk chemical composition

DOEpatents

Lee, Yin-Nan E.; Weber, Rodney J.; Orsini, Douglas

2006-04-18

An apparatus for continuous on-line measurement of chemical composition of aerosol particles with a fast time resolution is provided. The apparatus includes an enhanced particle size magnifier for producing activated aerosol particles and an enhanced collection device which collects the activated aerosol particles into a liquid stream for quantitative analysis by analytical means. Methods for on-line measurement of chemical composition of aerosol particles are also provided, the method including exposing aerosol carrying sample air to hot saturated steam thereby forming activated aerosol particles; collecting the activated aerosol particles by a collection device for delivery as a jet stream onto an impaction surface; and flushing off the activated aerosol particles from the impaction surface into a liquid stream for delivery of the collected liquid stream to an analytical instrument for quantitative measurement.

Aerosol optical depth in the European Brewer Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López-Solano, Javier; Redondas, Alberto; Carlund, Thomas; Rodriguez-Franco, Juan J.; Diémoz, Henri; León-Luis, Sergio F.; Hernández-Cruz, Bentorey; Guirado-Fuentes, Carmen; Kouremeti, Natalia; Gröbner, Julian; Kazadzis, Stelios; Carreño, Virgilio; Berjón, Alberto; Santana-Díaz, Daniel; Rodríguez-Valido, Manuel; De Bock, Veerle; Moreta, Juan R.; Rimmer, John; Smedley, Andrew R. D.; Boulkelia, Lamine; Jepsen, Nis; Eriksen, Paul; Bais, Alkiviadis F.; Shirotov, Vadim; Vilaplana, José M.; Wilson, Keith M.; Karppinen, Tomi

2018-03-01

Aerosols play an important role in key atmospheric processes and feature high spatial and temporal variabilities. This has motivated scientific interest in the development of networks capable of measuring aerosol properties over large geographical areas in near-real time. In this work we present and discuss results of an aerosol optical depth (AOD) algorithm applied to instruments of the European Brewer Network. This network is comprised of close to 50 Brewer spectrophotometers, mostly located in Europe and adjacent areas, although instruments operating at, for example, South America and Australia are also members. Although we only show results for instruments calibrated by the Regional Brewer Calibration Center for Europe, the implementation of the AOD algorithm described is intended to be used by the whole network in the future. Using data from the Brewer intercomparison campaigns in the years 2013 and 2015, and the period in between, plus comparisons with Cimel sun photometers and UVPFR instruments, we check the precision, stability, and uncertainty of the Brewer AOD in the ultraviolet range from 300 to 320 nm. Our results show a precision better than 0.01, an uncertainty of less than 0.05, and, for well-maintained instruments, a stability similar to that of the ozone measurements. We also discuss future improvements to our algorithm with respect to the input data, their processing, and the characterization of the Brewer instruments for the measurement of AOD.

Application of Spectral Analysis Techniques in the Intercomparison of Aerosol Data: Part III. Using Combined PCA to Compare Spatiotemporal Variability of MODIS, MISR and OMI Aerosol Optical Depth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Jing; Carlson, Barbara E.; Lacis, Andrew A.

2014-01-01

Satellite measurements of global aerosol properties are very useful in constraining aerosol parameterization in climate models. The reliability of different data sets in representing global and regional aerosol variability becomes an essential question. In this study, we present the results of a comparison using combined principal component analysis (CPCA), applied to monthly mean, mapped (Level 3) aerosol optical depth (AOD) product from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), Multiangle Imaging Spectroradiometer (MISR), and Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI). This technique effectively finds the common space-time variability in the multiple data sets by decomposing the combined AOD field. The results suggest that all of the sensors capture the globally important aerosol regimes, including dust, biomass burning, pollution, and mixed aerosol types. Nonetheless, differences are also noted. Specifically, compared with MISR and OMI, MODIS variability is significantly higher over South America, India, and the Sahel. MODIS deep blue AOD has a lower seasonal variability in North Africa, accompanied by a decreasing trend that is not found in either MISR or OMI AOD data. The narrow swath of MISR results in an underestimation of dust variability over the Taklamakan Desert. The MISR AOD data also exhibit overall lower variability in South America and the Sahel. OMI does not capture the Russian wild fire in 2010 nor the phase shift in biomass burning over East South America compared to Central South America, likely due to cloud contamination and the OMI row anomaly. OMI also indicates a much stronger (boreal) winter peak in South Africa compared with MODIS and MISR.

Physico-chemical properties of aerosols in Sao Paulo, Brazil and mechanisms of secondary organic aerosol formation.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Artaxo, Paulo; Ferreira de Brito, Joel; Varanda Rizzo, Luciana; Luiza Godoy, Maria; Godoy, Jose Marcus

2013-04-01

Megacities emissions are increasingly becoming a global issue, where emissions from the transportation sector play an increasingly important role. Sao Paulo is a megacity with a population of about 18 million people, 7 million cars and large-scale industrial emissions. As a result of the vehicular and industrial emissions, the air quality in Sao Paulo is bellow WMO standards for aerosol particles and ozone. Many uncertainties are found on gas- and particulate matter vehicular emission factors and their following atmospheric processes, e.g. secondary organic aerosol formation. Due to the uniqueness of the vehicular fuel in Brazil, largely based on ethanol use, such characterization currently holds further uncertainties. To improve the understanding of the role of this unique emission characteristics, we are running a source apportionment study in Sao Paulo focused on the mechanisms of organic aerosol formation. One of the goals of this study is a quantitative aerosol source apportionment focused on vehicular emissions, including ethanol and gasohol (both fuels used by light-duty vehicles). This study comprises four sampling sites with continuous measurements for one year, where trace elements and organic aerosol are being measured for PM2.5 and PM10 along with real-time NOx, O3, PM10 and CO measurements. Aerosol optical properties and size distribution are being measured on a rotation basis between sampling stations. Furthermore, a Proton-Transfer-Reaction Mass Spectrometer (PTR-MS) and an Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM) are used to measure in real time VOCs and aerosol composition, respectively. Trace elements were measured using XRF and OC/EC analysis was determined with a Sunset OC/EC instrument. A TSI Nephelometer with 3 wavelengths measure light scattering and a MAAP measure black carbon. Results show aerosol number concentrations ranging between 10,000 and 35,000 cm-3, mostly concentrated in the nucleation and Aitken modes, with a peak in size at 80

The CU 2-D-MAX-DOAS instrument – Part 2: Raman scattering probability measurements and retrieval of aerosol optical properties

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ortega, Ivan; Coburn, Sean; Berg, Larry K.

The multiannual global mean of aerosol optical depth at 550 nm (AOD 550) over land is ~0.19, and that over oceans is ~0.13. About 45 % of the Earth surface shows AOD 550 smaller than 0.1. There is a need for measurement techniques that are optimized to measure aerosol optical properties under low AOD conditions. We present an inherently calibrated retrieval (i.e., no need for radiance calibration) to simultaneously measure AOD and the aerosol phase function parameter, g, based on measurements of azimuth distributions of the Raman scattering probability (RSP), the near-absolute rotational Raman scattering (RRS) intensity. We employ radiativemore » transfer model simulations to show that for solar azimuth RSP measurements at solar elevation and solar zenith angle (SZA) smaller than 80°, RSP is insensitive to the vertical distribution of aerosols and maximally sensitive to changes in AOD and g under near-molecular scattering conditions. The University of Colorado two-dimensional Multi-AXis Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (CU 2-D-MAX-DOAS) instrument was deployed as part of the Two Column Aerosol Project (TCAP) at Cape Cod, MA, during the summer of 2012 to measure direct sun spectra and RSP from scattered light spectra at solar relative azimuth angles (SRAAs) between 5 and 170°. During two case study days with (1) high aerosol load (17 July, 0.3 < AOD 430 < 0.6) and (2) near-molecular scattering conditions (22 July, AOD 430 < 0.13) we compare RSP-based retrievals of AOD 430 and g with data from a co-located CIMEL sun photometer, Multi-Filter Rotating Shadowband Radiometer (MFRSR), and an airborne High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL-2). The average difference (relative to DOAS) for AOD 430 is +0.012 ± 0.023 (CIMEL), -0.012 ± 0.024 (MFRSR), -0.011 ± 0.014 (HSRL-2), and +0.023 ± 0.013 (CIMEL AOD - MFRSR AOD) and yields the following expressions for correlations between different instruments: DOAS AOD = - (0.019 ± 0

Comparisons of Airborne HSRL and Modeled Aerosol Profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferrare, R. A.; Burton, S. P.; Hostetler, C. A.; Hair, J. W.; Ismail, S.; Rogers, R. R.; Notari, A.; Berkoff, T.; Butler, C. F.; Collins, J. E., Jr.; Fenn, M. A.; Scarino, A. J.; Clayton, M.; Mueller, D.; Chemyakin, E.; Fast, J. D.; Berg, L. K.; Randles, C. A.; Colarco, P. R.; daSilva, A.

2014-12-01

Aerosol profiles derived from a regional and a global model are compared with aerosol profiles acquired by NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) airborne High Spectral Resolution Lidars (HSRLs) during recent field missions. We compare simulated aerosol profiles obtained from the WRF-Chem regional model with those measured by the airborne HSRL-2 instrument over the Atlantic Ocean east of Cape Cod in July 2012 during the Department of Energy Two-Column Aerosol Project (TCAP). While deployed on the LaRC King Air during TCAP, HSRL-2 acquired profiles of aerosol extinction at 355 and 532 nm, as well as aerosol backscatter and depolarization at 355, 532, and 1064 nm. Additional HSRL-2 data products include profiles of aerosol type, mixed layer depth, and aerosol microphysical parameters (e.g. effective radius, concentration). The HSRL-2 and WRF-Chem aerosol profiles are compared along the aircraft flight tracks. HSRL-2 profiles acquired during the NASA Deriving Information on Surface Conditions from COlumn and VERtically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality (DISCOVER-AQ) mission over Houston during September 2013 are compared with the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System global model, version 5 (GEOS-5) profiles. In addition to comparing backscatter and extinction profiles, the fraction of aerosol extinction and optical thickness from various aerosol species from GEOS-5 are compared with aerosol extinction and optical thickness contributed by aerosol types derived from HSRL-2 data. We also compare aerosol profiles modeled by GEOS-5 with those measured by the airborne LaRC DIAL/HSRL instrument during August and September 2013 when it was deployed on the NASA DC-8 for the Studies of Emissions and Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys (SEAC4RS) mission. DIAL/HSRL measured extinction (532 nm), backscatter (532 and 1064 nm), and depolarization profiles (532 and 1064 nm) in both nadir and zenith directions during long transects over the

Monitoring An Intensive Dust Event over Northern China Using Multi-satellite Observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

She, L.; Xue, Y.; Guang, J.; Mei, L.; Che, Y.; Fan, C.; Xie, Y.

2017-12-01

The deserts in western/northern China are one of the major mineral dust source regions of the world. Large amount of dust are emitted and blown east and southeast, especially in spring. An intensive dust event occurred over Northern China during May 3 - 8, 2017. The dust storms came from deserts in China and Mongolia. Due to the long-distance transport, more than ten provinces were affected by this dust event, several provinces occurred strong dust storm. In this study, multi-satellite data were employed to analyse the spatial-temporal evolution and dynamic transport behaviour of the dust plume, especially the geostationary satellite data - Himawari8 Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI) data. AHI data was used to estimate hourly Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) to monitoring the aerosol distribution as well as the dust plume movements, as the dust storms often characterized by high AOD. A simple dust index was also calculated based on AHI VIS and TIR data to estimate the dust intensity. Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) data and the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) Aerosol Index were used as additional data sources to monitor the dust vertical distribution and provide independent information of dust presence. MODIS aerosol product and AERONET aerosol measurements were compared with the AHI retrieved AODs, the comparisons show a good agreement. The dust index was compared with the ground measurements as well as the corresponding RGB image. Simulations from HYSPLIT back-trajectory analysis shows similar temporal variation with the calculated AOD and dust index of the dust plume. Those comparisons with other satellite products and ground measurements suggested both the calculated AOD and dust index well depicted the dust events compared.

How Well Can Aerosol Measurements from the Terra Morning Polar Orbiting Satellite Represent the Daily Aerosol Abundance and Properties?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufman, Y. J.; Holben, B. N.; Tanre, D.; Slutzker, I.; Eck, T. F.; Smirnov, A.; Einaudi, Franco (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The Terra mission, launched at the dawn of 1999, and Aqua mission to be launched soon, will possess innovative measurements of the aerosol daily spatial distribution, distinguish between dust, smoke and regional pollution and measure aerosol radiative forcing of climate. Their polar orbit gives daily global coverage, however measurements are acquired at specific time of the day. To what degree can present measurements from Terra taken between 10:00 and 11:30 AM local time, represent the daily average aerosol forcing of climate? Here we answer this question using 7 years of data from the distributed ground based 50-70 instrument Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) This (AERONET) half a million measurement data set shows that Terra aerosol measurements represent the daily average values within 5%. The excellent representation is found for large dust particles or small aerosol particles from Fires or regional pollution and for any range of the optical thickness, a measure of the amount of aerosol in the atmosphere.

Broadband measurements of aerosol extinction in the ultraviolet spectral region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Washenfelder, R. A.; Flores, J. M.; Brock, C. A.; Brown, S. S.; Rudich, Y.

2013-04-01

Aerosols influence the Earth's radiative budget by scattering and absorbing incoming solar radiation. The optical properties of aerosols vary as a function of wavelength, but few measurements have reported the wavelength dependence of aerosol extinction cross sections and complex refractive indices. We describe a new laboratory instrument to measure aerosol optical extinction as a function of wavelength, using cavity enhanced spectroscopy with a broadband light source. The instrument consists of two broadband channels which span the 360-390 and 385-420 nm spectral regions using two light emitting diodes (LED) and a grating spectrometer with charge-coupled device (CCD) detector. We determined aerosol extinction cross sections and directly observed Mie scattering resonances for aerosols that are purely scattering (polystyrene latex spheres and ammonium sulfate), slightly absorbing (Suwannee River fulvic acid), and strongly absorbing (nigrosin dye). We describe an approach for retrieving refractive indices as a function of wavelength from the measured extinction cross sections over the 360-420 nm wavelength region. The retrieved refractive indices for PSL and ammonium sulfate agree within uncertainty with the literature values for this spectral region. The refractive index determined for nigrosin is 1.78 (± 0.03) + 0.19 (± 0.08)i at 360 nm and 1.63 (± 0.03) + 0.21 (± 0.05)i at 420 nm. The refractive index determined for Suwannee River fulvic acid is 1.71 (± 0.02) + 0.07 (± 0.06)i at 360 nm and 1.66 (± 0.02) + 0.06 (± 0.04)i at 420 nm. These laboratory results support the potential for a field instrument capable of determining ambient aerosol optical extinction, average aerosol extinction cross section, and complex refractive index as a function of wavelength.

Broadband measurements of aerosol extinction in the ultraviolet spectral region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Washenfelder, R. A.; Flores, J. M.; Brock, C. A.; Brown, S. S.; Rudich, Y.

2013-01-01

Aerosols influence the Earth's radiative budget by scattering and absorbing incoming solar radiation. The optical properties of aerosols vary as a function of wavelength, but few measurements have reported the wavelength dependence of aerosol extinction cross-sections and complex refractive indices. We describe a new laboratory instrument to measure aerosol optical extinction as a function of wavelength, using cavity enhanced spectroscopy with a broadband light source. The instrument consists of two broadband channels which span the 360-390 and 385-420 nm spectral regions using two light emitting diodes (LED) and a grating spectrometer with charge-coupled device (CCD) detector. We determined aerosol extinction cross-sections and directly observed Mie scattering resonances for aerosols that are purely scattering (polystyrene latex spheres and ammonium sulfate), slightly absorbing (Suwannee River fulvic acid), and strongly absorbing (nigrosin dye). We describe an approach for retrieving refractive indices as a function of wavelength from the measured extinction cross-sections over the 360-420 nm wavelength region. The retrieved refractive indices for PSL and ammonium sulfate agree within uncertainty with literature values for this spectral region. The refractive index determined for nigrosin is 1.78 (±0.03) + 0.19 (±0.08) i at 360 nm and 1.53 (±0.03) + 0.21 (±0.05) i at 420 nm. The refractive index determined for Suwannee River fulvic acid is 1.71 (±0.02) + 0.07 (±0.06) i at 360 nm and 1.66 (±0.02) + 0.06 (±0.04) i at 420 nm. These laboratory results support the potential for a field instrument capable of determining ambient aerosol optical extinction, average aerosol extinction cross-section, and complex refractive index as a function of wavelength.

Investigation of Stability of Precise Geodetic Instruments Used in Deformation Monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woźniak, Marek; Odziemczyk, Waldemar

2017-12-01

Monitoring systems using automated electronic total stations are an important element of safety control of many engineering objects. In order to ensure the appropriate credibility of acquired data, it is necessary that instruments (total stations in most of the cases) used for measurements meet requirements of measurement accuracy, as well as the stability of instrument axis system geometry. With regards to the above, it is expedient to conduct quality control of data acquired using electronic total stations in the context of performed measurement procedures. This paper presents results of research conducted at the Faculty of Geodesy and Cartography at Warsaw University of Technology investigating the stability of "basic" error values (collimation, zero location for V circle, inclination), for two types of automatic total stations: TDA 5005 and TCRP 1201+. Research provided also information concerning the influence of temperature changes upon the stability of investigated instrument's optical parameters. Results are presented in graphical analytic technique. Final conclusions propose methods, which allow avoiding negative results of measuring tool-set geometry changes during conducting precise deformation monitoring measurements.

Aerosol optical properties measurements by a CAPS single scattering albedo monitor: Comparisons between summer and winter in Beijing, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Tingting; Xu, Weiqi; Li, Jie; Freedman, Andrew; Zhao, Jian; Wang, Qingqing; Chen, Chen; Zhang, Yingjie; Wang, Zifa; Fu, Pingqing; Liu, Xingang; Sun, Yele

2017-02-01

Aerosol optical properties were measured in Beijing in summer and winter using a state-of-the-art cavity attenuated phase shift single scattering albedo monitor (CAPS PMssa) along with aerosol composition measurements by aerosol mass spectrometers and aethalometers. The SSA directly measured by the CAPS PMssa showed overall agreements with those derived from colocated measurements. However, substantial differences were observed during periods with low SSA values in both summer and winter, suggesting that interpretation of low SSA values needs to be cautious. The average (±σ) extinction coefficient (bext) and absorption coefficient (bap) were 336 (±343) Mm-1 and 44 (±41) Mm-1, respectively, during wintertime, which were approximately twice those observed in summer, while the average SSA was relatively similar, 0.86 (±0.06) and 0.85 (±0.04) in summer and winter, respectively. Further analysis showed that the variations in SSA can be approximately parameterized as a function of mass fraction of secondary particulate matter (fSPM), which is SSA = 0.74 + 0.19 × fSPM (fSPM > 0.3, r2 = 0.85). The contributions of aerosol species to extinction coefficients during the two seasons were also estimated. Our results showed that the light extinction was dominantly contributed by ammonium sulfate (30%) and secondary organic aerosol (22%) in summer, while organic aerosol was the largest contributor (51%) in winter. Consistently, SPM played the major role in visibility degradation in both seasons by contributing 70% of the total extinction.

Spatial and Temporal Monitoring of Aerosol over Selected Urban Areas in Egypt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shokr, Mohammed; El-Tahan, Mohammed; Ibrahim, Alaa

2015-04-01

We utilize remote sensing data of atmospheric aerosols from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Terra and Aqua satellites to explore spatio-temporal patterns over selected urban sites in Egypt during 2000-2015. High resolution (10 x 10 km^2) Level 2, collection 5, quality-controlled product was used. The selected sites are characterized by different human and industrial activities as well as landscape and meteorological attributes. These have impacts on the dominant types and intensity of aerosols. Aerosol robotic network (AERONET) data were used to validate the calculations from MODIS. The suitability of the MODIS product in terms of spatial and temporal coverage as well as accuracy and robustness has been established. Seasonal patterns of aerosol concentration are identified and compared between the sites. Spatial gradient of aerosol is assessed in the vicinity of major aerosol-emission sites (e.g. Cairo) to determine the range of influence of the generated pollution. Peak aerosol concentrations are explained in terms of meteorological events and land cover. The limited trends found in the temporal records of the aerosol measurements will be confirmed using calibrated long-term ground observations. The study has been conducted under the PEER 2-239 research project titled "The Impact of Biogenic and Anthropogenic Atmospheric Aerosols to Climate in Egypt". Project website is CleanAirEgypt.org

Aerosol Chemical and Physical Characterization in Central Amazonia during the 2013 Dry Season

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Artaxo, P.; Stern, R.; Brito, J.; Carbone, S.

2015-12-01

During the dry season, the central Amazon forest is highly influenced by forest fires transported through large distances, changing drastically the atmospheric composition even in remote places. This work focuses on a physical-chemical characterization of the aerosol population over a pristine site in Central Amazonia during the dry season. The submicrometer organic aerosols were measured with the Aerodyne ACSM (Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor, Aerodyne Inc). Optical properties, size distribution and other micro-physical characteristics were also analyzed. Other instruments were simultaneously used. The measurements were taken during the dry season of 2013 in the Cuieiras ecological reserve (ZF2), northwest of Manaus. The statistical analysis of the data was done with the PMF (Positive Matrix Factorization) technique, in which the organic aerosol was separated into different factors, and then its sources and forming processes were attributed. Results show that the mean aerosol loading was 5,91 μg m-3, from which 78% are of organic composition, 8.5% are sulfate, 6.5% are equivalent black carbon, 4% are ammonium and 3% are nitrate. The mass spectra variability can be explained by 3 factors only, determined with the PMF technique. They were identified as BBOA (Biomass Burning Organic Aerosol), representing 12% of the total organic mass, OOA (Oxygenated Organic Aerosol), representing 66% of the total organic mass and IEPOX-SOA (Isoprene derived Epoxydiol-Secondary Organic Aerosol), representing 21% of the total organic mass. Even in remote and pristine regions, Central Amazonia is highly impacted by biomass burning. Biogenic secondary organic aerosols are also present during the dry season, and the suppression of its wet deposition processes increases their concentration. The oxidation level and other physical-chemical characteristics indicate that the long range transport is responsible for the regional range of this impact.

Remote Sensing of Non-Aerosol (anomalous) Absorption in Cloud Free Atmosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufman, Yoram J.; Dubovik, Oleg; Smirnov, Alexander; Holben, Brent N.; Lau, William K. M. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The interaction of sunlight with atmospheric gases, aerosols and clouds is fundamental to the understanding of climate and its variation. Several studies questioned our understanding of atmospheric absorption of sunlight in cloudy or in cloud free atmospheres. Uncertainty in instruments' accuracy and in the analysis methods makes this problem difficult to resolve. Here we use several years of measurements of sky and sun spectral brightness by selected instruments of the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET), that have known and high measurement accuracy. The measurements taken in several locations around the world show that in the atmospheric windows 0.44, 0.06, 0.86 and 1.02 microns the only significant absorbers in cloud free atmosphere is aerosol and ozone. This conclusions is reached using a method developed to distinguish between absorption associated with the presence of aerosol and absorption that is not related to the presence of aerosol. Non-aerosol absorption, defined as spectrally independent or smoothly variable, was found to have an optical thickness smaller than 0.002 corresponding to absorption of sunlight less than 1W/sq m, or essentially zero.

Indirect estimation of absorption properties for fine aerosol particles using AATSR observations: a case study of wildfires in Russia in 2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez, E.; Kolmonen, P.; Virtanen, T. H.; Sogacheva, L.; Sundstrom, A.-M.; de Leeuw, G.

2015-08-01

(root mean square error) is 0.03 for SSA and 0.02 for AAOD lower than 0.05. The SSA is further evaluated by comparison with the SSA retrieved from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI). The SSA retrieved from both instruments show similar features, with generally lower AATSR-estimated SSA values over areas affected by wildfires.

Performance assessment of future thermal infrared geostationary instruments to monitor air quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sellitto, P.; Dauphin, P.; Dufour, G.; Eremenko, M.; Cuesta, J.; Coman, A.; Forêt, G.; Beekmann, M.; Gaubert, B.; Flaud, J.-M.

2012-04-01

Air quality (AQ) has a recognized onerous impact on human health and the environment, and then on society. It is more and more clear that constantly and efficiently monitoring AQ from space is a valuable step forward towards a more thorough comprehension of pollution processes that can have a relevant impact on the biosphere. In recent years, important progresses in this field have been made, e.g., reliable observations of several pollutants have been obtained, proving the feasibility of monitoring atmospheric composition from space. In this sense, low Earth orbit (LEO) thermal infrared (TIR) space-borne instruments are widely regarded as a useful tool to observe targeted AQ parameters like tropospheric ozone concentrations [1]. However, limitations remain with the current observation systems in particular to observe ozone in the lowermost troposphere (LmT) with a spatial and temporal resolution relevant for monitoring pollution processes at the regional scale. Indeed, LEO instruments are not well adapted to monitor small scale and short term phenomena, owing to their unsatisfactory revisit time. From this point of view, a more satisfactory concept might be based on geostationary (GEO) platforms. Current and planned GEO missions are mainly tailored on meteorological parameters retrieval and do not have sufficient spectral resolutions and signal to noise ratios (SNR) to infer information on trace gases in the LmT. New satellite missions are currently proposed that can partly overcome these limitations. Here we present a group of simulation exercises and sensitivity analyses to set-up future TIR GEO missions adapted to monitor and forecast AQ over Europe, and to evaluate their technical requirements. At this aim, we have developed a general simulator to produce pseudo-observations for different platform/instrument configurations. The core of this simulator is the KOPRA radiative transfer model, including the KOPRAfit inversion module [2]. Note that to assess the