Articles | Volume 16, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-1073-2023
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-1073-2023
Research article
 | 
02 Mar 2023
Research article |  | 02 Mar 2023

Systematic analysis of virga and its impact on surface particulate matter observations

Nakul N. Karle, Ricardo K. Sakai, Rosa M. Fitzgerald, Charles Ichoku, Fernando Mercado, and William R. Stockwell

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This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Measurement Techniques (AMT).
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Cited articles

Airey, M. W., Nicoll, K. A., Harrison, R. G., and Marlton, G. J.: Characteristics of Desert Precipitation in the UAE Derived from a Ceilometer Dataset, Atmosphere, 12, 1245, https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos12101245, 2021. 
Beynon, R. and Hocke, K.: Snow Virga above the Swiss Plateau Observed by a Micro Rain Radar, Remote Sensing, 14, 890, https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14040890, 2022. 
Cheng, C. and Yi, F.: Falling Mixed-Phase Ice Virga and their Liquid Parent Cloud Layers as Observed by Ground-Based Lidars, Remote Sensing, 12, 2094, https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12132094, 2020. 
Evans, E., Stewart, R. E., Henson, W., and Saunders, K.: On Precipitation and Virga over Three Locations during the 1999–2004 Canadian Prairie Drought, Atmos. Ocean, 49, 366–379, https://doi.org/10.1080/07055900.2011.608343, 2011.  
Fitzgerald, R. M., Karle, N. N., Lara, P., Polanco Gonzalez, J., and Stockwell, W. R.: Optical Measurements of Particulate Matter in the El Paso-Juarez Region: Natural Mineral Dust and Soot, EM, 6 pp., https://airandwmapa.sharepoint.com/sites/AWMA_Website/Shared%20Documents/em-do%20not%20delete/2021/10/fitzgerald.pdf (last access: 24 February 2023), 2021. 
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Short summary
Extensive virga research is uncommon, even though it is a common phenomenon. A systematic method was developed to characterize virga using available datasets. In total, 50 virga events were observed, appearing only during a specific time of the year, revealing a seasonal pattern. These virga events were identified and classified, and their impact on surface PM measurements was investigated. A more detailed examination of the selected events reveals that virga impacts regional air quality.
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