Articles | Volume 18, issue 20
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-5841-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-5841-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
29 Oct 2025
Research article |
| 29 Oct 2025
| 29 Oct 2025
A new technique to retrieve aerosol vertical profiles using micropulse lidar and ground-based aerosol measurements
Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, 77843, United States
Seth A. Thompson
Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, 77843, United States
Brianna H. Matthews
Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, 77843, United States
now at: Savannah River National Laboratory, Aiken, South Carolina, 29808, United States
Milind Sharma
Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, 77843, United States
Ron Li
Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, 77843, United States
Christopher J. Nowotarski
Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, 77843, United States
Anita D. Rapp
Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, 77843, United States
Sarah D. Brooks
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, 77843, United States
Related authors
Bo Chen, Seth A. Thompson, Brianna H. Matthews, Milind Sharma, Ron Li, Anita D. Rapp, Christopher J. Nowotarski, and Sarah D. Brooks
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1748, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1748, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
Short summary
Short summary
This paper studies how aerosols, tiny particles suspended in the air, are distributed at different heights in the atmosphere. We use lidar and other ground-based measurements to estimate aerosol vertical profiles. We also develop a simple mathematical equation that can recreate the observed profile shape using a few adjustable parameters. Finally, we examine several case studies and explore how the profile shape is related to boundary-layer structure and atmospheric conditions.
Bo Chen, Seth A. Thompson, Brianna H. Matthews, Milind Sharma, Ron Li, Anita D. Rapp, Christopher J. Nowotarski, and Sarah D. Brooks
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1748, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1748, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
Short summary
Short summary
This paper studies how aerosols, tiny particles suspended in the air, are distributed at different heights in the atmosphere. We use lidar and other ground-based measurements to estimate aerosol vertical profiles. We also develop a simple mathematical equation that can recreate the observed profile shape using a few adjustable parameters. Finally, we examine several case studies and explore how the profile shape is related to boundary-layer structure and atmospheric conditions.
Paul J. DeMott, Jessica A. Mirrielees, Sarah Suda Petters, Daniel J. Cziczo, Markus D. Petters, Heinz G. Bingemer, Thomas C. J. Hill, Karl Froyd, Sarvesh Garimella, A. Gannet Hallar, Ezra J. T. Levin, Ian B. McCubbin, Anne E. Perring, Christopher N. Rapp, Thea Schiebel, Jann Schrod, Kaitlyn J. Suski, Daniel Weber, Martin J. Wolf, Maria Zawadowicz, Jake Zenker, Ottmar Möhler, and Sarah D. Brooks
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 639–672, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-639-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-639-2025, 2025
Short summary
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The Fifth International Ice Nucleation Workshop Phase 3 (FIN-03) compared the ambient atmospheric performance of ice-nucleating particle (INP) measuring systems and explored general methods for discerning atmospheric INP compositions. Mirroring laboratory results, INP concentrations agreed within 5–10 factors. Measurements of total aerosol properties and investigations of INP compositions supported a dominant role of soil and plant organic aerosol elements as INPs during the study.
Daniel C. O. Thornton, Sarah D. Brooks, Elise K. Wilbourn, Jessica Mirrielees, Alyssa N. Alsante, Gerardo Gold-Bouchot, Andrew Whitesell, and Kiana McFadden
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 12707–12729, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-12707-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-12707-2023, 2023
Short summary
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A major uncertainty in our understanding of clouds and climate is the sources and properties of the aerosol on which clouds grow. We found that aerosol containing organic matter from fast-growing marine phytoplankton was a source of ice-nucleating particles (INPs). INPs facilitate freezing of ice crystals at warmer temperatures than otherwise possible and therefore change cloud formation and properties. Our results show that ecosystem processes and the properties of sea spray aerosol are linked.
Guangyu Li, Elise K. Wilbourn, Zezhen Cheng, Jörg Wieder, Allison Fagerson, Jan Henneberger, Ghislain Motos, Rita Traversi, Sarah D. Brooks, Mauro Mazzola, Swarup China, Athanasios Nenes, Ulrike Lohmann, Naruki Hiranuma, and Zamin A. Kanji
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 10489–10516, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10489-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10489-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
In this work, we present results from an Arctic field campaign (NASCENT) in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, on the abundance, variability, physicochemical properties, and potential sources of ice-nucleating particles (INPs) relevant for mixed-phase cloud formation. This work improves the data coverage of Arctic INPs and aerosol properties, allowing for the validation of models predicting cloud microphysical and radiative properties of mixed-phase clouds in the rapidly warming Arctic.
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Short summary
This study presents a new method combining ground-based measurements and lidar to track how aerosols are distributed at different heights in the atmosphere. By correcting for humidity, which causes aerosols to grow and intensify the lidar signal, the method provides more accurate aerosol vertical profiles. Our results show that aerosol profiles can vary significantly over short distances. This technique can help improve understanding of aerosol-cloud interactions.
This study presents a new method combining ground-based measurements and lidar to track how...
