Articles | Volume 8, issue 5
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-1935-2015
© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-1935-2015
© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| 
06 May 2015
Research article |
| 06 May 2015
A model sensitivity study of the impact of clouds on satellite detection and retrieval of volcanic ash
NILU – Norwegian Institute for Air Research, P. O. Box 100, 2027 Kjeller, Norway
N. Kristiansen
NILU – Norwegian Institute for Air Research, P. O. Box 100, 2027 Kjeller, Norway
A. Stohl
NILU – Norwegian Institute for Air Research, P. O. Box 100, 2027 Kjeller, Norway
R. Buras-Schnell
Schnell Algorithms, Am Erdäpfelgarten 1, 82205 Gilching, Germany
Meteorological Institute, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
J. Gasteiger
Meteorological Institute, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
Related authors
André R. Brodtkorb, Anna Benedictow, Heiko Klein, Arve Kylling, Agnes Nyiri, Alvaro Valdebenito, Espen Sollum, and Nina Kristiansen
Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 1957–1974, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-1957-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-1957-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
It is vital to know the extent and concentration of volcanic ash in the atmosphere during a volcanic eruption. Whilst satellite imagery may give an estimate of the ash right now (assuming no cloud coverage), we also need to know where it will be in the coming hours. This paper presents a method for estimating parameters for a volcanic eruption based on satellite observations of ash in the atmosphere. The software package is open source and applicable to similar inversion scenarios.
Leonie Bernet, Tove Svendby, Georg Hansen, Yvan Orsolini, Arne Dahlback, Florence Goutail, Andrea Pazmiño, Boyan Petkov, and Arve Kylling
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 4165–4184, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4165-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4165-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
After the severe destruction of the ozone layer, the amount of ozone in the stratosphere is expected to increase again. At northern high latitudes, however, such a recovery has not been detected yet. To assess ozone changes in that region, we analyse the amount of ozone above specific locations (total ozone) measured at three stations in Norway. We found that total ozone increases significantly at two Arctic stations, which may be an indication of ozone recovery at northern high latitudes.
Huan Yu, Claudia Emde, Arve Kylling, Ben Veihelmann, Bernhard Mayer, Kerstin Stebel, and Michel Van Roozendael
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 5743–5768, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-5743-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-5743-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
In this study, we have investigated the impact of 3D clouds on the tropospheric NO2 retrieval from UV–visible sensors. We applied standard NO2 retrieval methods including cloud corrections to synthetic data generated by the 3D radiative transfer model. A sensitivity study was done for synthetic data, and dependencies on various parameters were investigated. Possible mitigation strategies were investigated and compared based on 3D simulations and observed data.
Arve Kylling, Claudia Emde, Huan Yu, Michel van Roozendael, Kerstin Stebel, Ben Veihelmann, and Bernhard Mayer
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 3481–3495, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3481-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3481-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Atmospheric trace gases such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2) may be measured by satellite instruments sensitive to solar ultraviolet–visible radiation reflected from Earth and its atmosphere. For a single pixel, clouds in neighbouring pixels may affect the radiation and hence the retrieved trace gas amount. We found that for a solar zenith angle less than about 40° this cloud-related NO2 bias is typically below 10 %, while for larger solar zenith angles the NO2 bias is on the order of tens of percent.
Christine D. Groot Zwaaftink, Wenche Aas, Sabine Eckhardt, Nikolaos Evangeliou, Paul Hamer, Mona Johnsrud, Arve Kylling, Stephen M. Platt, Kerstin Stebel, Hilde Uggerud, and Karl Espen Yttri
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 3789–3810, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3789-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3789-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We investigate causes of a poor-air-quality episode in northern Europe in October 2020 during which EU health limits for air quality were vastly exceeded. Such episodes may trigger measures to improve air quality. Analysis based on satellite observations, transport simulations, and surface observations revealed two sources of pollution. Emissions of mineral dust in Central Asia and biomass burning in Ukraine arrived almost simultaneously in Norway, and transport continued into the Arctic.
Claudia Emde, Huan Yu, Arve Kylling, Michel van Roozendael, Kerstin Stebel, Ben Veihelmann, and Bernhard Mayer
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 1587–1608, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-1587-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-1587-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Retrievals of trace gas concentrations from satellite observations can be affected by clouds in the vicinity, either by shadowing or by scattering of radiation from clouds in the clear region. We used a Monte Carlo radiative transfer model to generate synthetic satellite observations, which we used to test retrieval algorithms and to quantify the error of retrieved NO2 vertical column density due to cloud scattering.
Tove M. Svendby, Bjørn Johnsen, Arve Kylling, Arne Dahlback, Germar H. Bernhard, Georg H. Hansen, Boyan Petkov, and Vito Vitale
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 7881–7899, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-7881-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-7881-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Measurements of total ozone and effective cloud transmittance (eCLT) have been performed since 1995 at three Norwegian sites with GUV multi-filter instruments. The unique data sets of high-time-resolution measurements can be used for a broad range of studies. Data analyses reveal an increase in total ozone above Norway from 1995 to 2019. Measurements of GUV eCLT indicate changes in albedo in Ny-Ålesund (Svalbard) during the past 25 years, most likely resulting from increased Arctic ice melt.
Arve Kylling, Hamidreza Ardeshiri, Massimo Cassiani, Anna Solvejg Dinger, Soon-Young Park, Ignacio Pisso, Norbert Schmidbauer, Kerstin Stebel, and Andreas Stohl
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 3303–3318, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-3303-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-3303-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Atmospheric turbulence and its effect on tracer dispersion in particular may be measured by cameras sensitive to the absorption of ultraviolet (UV) sunlight by sulfur dioxide (SO2). Using large eddy simulation and 3D Monte Carlo radiative transfer modelling of a SO2 plume, we demonstrate that UV camera images of SO2 plumes may be used to derive plume statistics of relevance for the study of atmospheric turbulent dispersion.
Sieglinde Callewaert, Sophie Vandenbussche, Nicolas Kumps, Arve Kylling, Xiaoxia Shang, Mika Komppula, Philippe Goloub, and Martine De Mazière
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 3673–3698, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-3673-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-3673-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
This article presents the updated MAPIR algorithm, which uses infrared satellite data to obtain the global 3-D distribution of mineral aerosols. A description of the method together with its technical improvements is given. Additionally, a 10-year data set was generated and used to evaluate this new algorithm against AERONET, CALIOP, CATS and two ground-based lidar stations. We have shown that the new MAPIR algorithm provides reliable aerosol optical depth and dust layer mean altitude profiles.
Nikolaos Evangeliou, Arve Kylling, Sabine Eckhardt, Viktor Myroniuk, Kerstin Stebel, Ronan Paugam, Sergiy Zibtsev, and Andreas Stohl
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 1393–1411, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-1393-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-1393-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We simulated the peatland fires that burned in Greenland in summer 2017. Using satellite data, we estimated that the total burned area was 2345 ha, the fuel amount consumed 117 kt C and the emissions of BC, OC and BrC 23.5, 731 and 141 t, respectively. About 30 % of the emissions were deposited on snow or ice surfaces. This caused a maximum albedo change of 0.007 and a surface radiative forcing of 0.03–0.04 W m−2, with local maxima of up to 0.63–0.77 W m−2. Overall, the fires had a small impact.
Anna Solvejg Dinger, Kerstin Stebel, Massimo Cassiani, Hamidreza Ardeshiri, Cirilo Bernardo, Arve Kylling, Soon-Young Park, Ignacio Pisso, Norbert Schmidbauer, Jan Wasseng, and Andreas Stohl
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 6169–6188, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-6169-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-6169-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents an artificial release experiment aimed to improve the understanding of turbulence in the atmospheric boundary layer. A new set of image processing methods was developed to analyse the turbulent dispersion of sulfur dioxide (SO2) puffs. For this a tomographic setup of six SO2 cameras was used to image artificially released SO2 gas.
Arve Kylling, Sophie Vandenbussche, Virginie Capelle, Juan Cuesta, Lars Klüser, Luca Lelli, Thomas Popp, Kerstin Stebel, and Pepijn Veefkind
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 2911–2936, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-2911-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-2911-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
The aerosol layer height is one of four aerosol parameters which is needed to enhance our understanding of aerosols' role in the climate system. Both active and passive measurement methods may be used to estimate the aerosol layer height. Aerosol height estimates made from passive infrared and solar satellite sensors measurements are compared with satellite-borne lidar estimates. There is considerable variation between the retrieved dust heights and how they compare with the lidar.
Jonas Gliß, Kerstin Stebel, Arve Kylling, and Aasmund Sudbø
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 781–801, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-781-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-781-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
The paper focusses on gas-velocity retrievals in emission plumes using optical flow (OF) algorithms applied to remote sensing imagery. OF algorithms can measure the velocities on a pixel level between consecutive images. An issue of OF algorithms is that they often fail to detect motion in contrast-poor image areas. A correction based on histograms of an OF vector field is proposed. The new method is applied to two example volcanic data sets from Mt Etna, Italy and Guallatiri, Chile.
Birthe Marie Steensen, Arve Kylling, Nina Iren Kristiansen, and Michael Schulz
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 9205–9222, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-9205-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-9205-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
An inversion method is tested in a forecasting setting for constraining ash dispersion by satellite observations. The sensitivity of a priori and
satellite uncertainties is tested for the a posteriori term. The a posteriori is also tested with four different assumptions affecting the retrieved
ash satellite data. In forecasting mode, the a posteriori changes after only 12 h of satellite observations and produces better forecasts than a priori.
John Faulkner Burkhart, Arve Kylling, Crystal B. Schaaf, Zhuosen Wang, Wiley Bogren, Rune Storvold, Stian Solbø, Christina A. Pedersen, and Sebastian Gerland
The Cryosphere, 11, 1575–1589, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-1575-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-1575-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We present the first use of spectrometer measurements from a drone to assess reflectance and albedo over the Greenland Ice Sheet. In order to measure albedo – a critical parameter in the earth's energy balance – a drone was flown along 200 km transects coincident with Terra and Aqua satellites flying MODIS. We present a direct comparison of UAV-measured reflectance with satellite data over Greenland and provide a new method to study cryospheric surfaces using UAV with spectral instruments.
Frances Beckett, Arve Kylling, Guðmunda Sigurðardóttir, Sibylle von Löwis, and Claire Witham
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 4401–4418, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-4401-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-4401-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Ash deposits can be remobilized for years following a volcanic eruption, and the resulting resuspended ash clouds can pose a significant hazard to local populations and airports. The aim of this work is to improve our ability to forecast resuspended ash storms. We use satellite imagery to constrain the emission rate of resuspended particles in an atmospheric dispersion model used to forecast resuspension events in Iceland.
Arve Kylling
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 2103–2117, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-2103-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-2103-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
During volcanic eruptions the presence of ice clouds may affect the volcanic ash signal in infrared satellite measurements. By comparison of measured infrared spectra with spectra from a radiative transfer model including both ash and ice clouds, it is shown that during the Mt Kelud February 2014 eruption, both ash and ice clouds were present simultaneously. The presence of ice clouds lowers the estimated amount of volcanic ash in the atmosphere.
Wiley Steven Bogren, John Faulkner Burkhart, and Arve Kylling
The Cryosphere, 10, 613–622, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-613-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-613-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
The magnitude and makeup of error in cryospheric radiation observations due to small sensor misalignment in in situ measurements of solar irradiance is evaluated. It is shown that relatively minor sensor misalignments give significant errors in irradiance and hence albedo measurements. The total measurement error introduced by sensor tilt is dominated by the direct component. Significant measurement error can also persist in integrated daily irradiance and albedo.
A. Kylling, M. Kahnert, H. Lindqvist, and T. Nousiainen
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 7, 919–929, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-7-919-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-7-919-2014, 2014
A. Kylling, R. Buras, S. Eckhardt, C. Emde, B. Mayer, and A. Stohl
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 6, 649–660, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-6-649-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-6-649-2013, 2013
Adèle Georgeot, Xavier Ceamanos, Jean-Luc Attié, Daniel Juncu, Josef Gasteiger, and Mathieu Compiègne
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1353, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1353, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This work investigates the aerosol remote sensing capabilities offered by the new Meteosat Third Generation-Imager geostationary satellite. First, aerosol load retrieval performance is demonstrated based on realistic synthetic data. Second, the potential for aerosol type characterization is proven, with the estimation of fine mode fraction. This work opens pathways for the future study of diurnal aerosol variations from space thanks to the high temporal resolution of geostationary satellites.
Silke Groß, Volker Freudenthaler, Moritz Haarig, Albert Ansmann, Carlos Toledano, David Mateos, Petra Seibert, Rodanthi-Elisavet Mamouri, Argyro Nisantzi, Josef Gasteiger, Maximilian Dollner, Anne Tipka, Manuel Schöberl, Marilena Teri, and Bernadett Weinzierl
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3191–3211, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3191-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3191-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosols contribute to the largest uncertainties in climate change predictions. The eastern Mediterranean is a hotspot for aerosols with natural and anthropogenic contributions. We present lidar measurements performed during A-LIFE (Absorbing aerosol layers in a changing climate: aging, lifetime and dynamics) to characterize aerosols and aerosol mixtures. We extend current lidar classification and separation schemes and compare them to classification schemes using different methods.
Claudia Emde, Veronika Pörtge, Mihail Manev, and Bernhard Mayer
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 6769–6789, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6769-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6769-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We introduce an innovative method to retrieve the cloud fraction and optical thickness of liquid water clouds over the ocean based on polarimetry. This is well suited for satellite observations providing multi-angle polarization measurements. Cloud fraction and cloud optical thickness can be derived from measurements at two viewing angles: one within the cloudbow and one in the sun glint region.
Natalie G. Ratcliffe, Claire L. Ryder, Nicolas Bellouin, Stephanie Woodward, Anthony Jones, Ben Johnson, Lisa-Maria Wieland, Maximilian Dollner, Josef Gasteiger, and Bernadett Weinzierl
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 12161–12181, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12161-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12161-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Large mineral dust particles are more abundant in the atmosphere than expected and have different impacts on the environment than small particles, which are better represented in climate models. We use aircraft measurements to assess a climate model representation of large-dust transport. We find that the model underestimates the amount of large dust at all stages of transport and that fast removal of the large particles increases this underestimation with distance from the Sahara.
Giulia Roccetti, Luca Bugliaro, Felix Gödde, Claudia Emde, Ulrich Hamann, Mihail Manev, Michael Fritz Sterzik, and Cedric Wehrum
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 6025–6046, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6025-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6025-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The amount of sunlight reflected by the Earth’s surface (albedo) is vital for the Earth's radiative system. While satellite instruments offer detailed spatial and temporal albedo maps, they only cover seven wavelength bands. We generate albedo maps that fully span the visible and near-infrared range using a machine learning algorithm. These maps reveal how the reflectivity of different land surfaces varies throughout the year. Our dataset enhances the understanding of the Earth's energy balance.
Manuel Schöberl, Maximilian Dollner, Josef Gasteiger, Petra Seibert, Anne Tipka, and Bernadett Weinzierl
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 2761–2776, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2761-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2761-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Transporting a representative aerosol sample to instrumentation inside a research aircraft remains a challenge due to losses or enhancements of particles in the aerosol sampling system. Here, we present sampling efficiencies and the cutoff diameter for the DLR Falcon aerosol sampling system as a function of true airspeed by comparing the in-cabin and the out-cabin particle number size distributions observed during the A-LIFE aircraft mission.
Richard Maier, Fabian Jakub, Claudia Emde, Mihail Manev, Aiko Voigt, and Bernhard Mayer
Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 3357–3383, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-3357-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-3357-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Based on the TenStream solver, we present a new method to accelerate 3D radiative transfer towards the speed of currently used 1D solvers. Using a shallow-cumulus-cloud time series, we evaluate the performance of this new solver in terms of both speed and accuracy. Compared to a 3D benchmark simulation, we show that our new solver is able to determine much more accurate irradiances and heating rates than a 1D δ-Eddington solver, even when operated with a similar computational demand.
Ilias Fountoulakis, Alexandra Tsekeri, Stelios Kazadzis, Vassilis Amiridis, Angelos Nersesian, Maria Tsichla, Emmanouil Proestakis, Antonis Gkikas, Kyriakoula Papachristopoulou, Vasileios Barlakas, Claudia Emde, and Bernhard Mayer
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 4915–4948, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4915-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4915-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In our study we provide an assessment, through a sensitivity study, of the limitations of models to calculate the dust direct radiative effect (DRE) due to the underrepresentation of its size, refractive index (RI), and shape. Our results indicate the necessity of including more realistic sizes and RIs for dust particles in dust models, in order to derive better estimations of the dust direct radiative effects.
Marilena Teri, Josef Gasteiger, Katharina Heimerl, Maximilian Dollner, Manuel Schöberl, Petra Seibert, Anne Tipka, Thomas Müller, Sudharaj Aryasree, Konrad Kandler, and Bernadett Weinzierl
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-701, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-701, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The A-LIFE aircraft field experiment was carried out in the Eastern Mediterranean in 2017. Using A-LIFE data, we studied the change in mineral dust optical properties due to mixing with anthropogenic aerosols. We found that increasing pollution affects dust optical properties which has implications for identifying dust events and understanding their climate effects. We also show that optical properties of Saharan and Arabian dust are similar when comparing cases with equal pollution content.
André R. Brodtkorb, Anna Benedictow, Heiko Klein, Arve Kylling, Agnes Nyiri, Alvaro Valdebenito, Espen Sollum, and Nina Kristiansen
Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 1957–1974, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-1957-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-1957-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
It is vital to know the extent and concentration of volcanic ash in the atmosphere during a volcanic eruption. Whilst satellite imagery may give an estimate of the ash right now (assuming no cloud coverage), we also need to know where it will be in the coming hours. This paper presents a method for estimating parameters for a volcanic eruption based on satellite observations of ash in the atmosphere. The software package is open source and applicable to similar inversion scenarios.
James Barry, Stefanie Meilinger, Klaus Pfeilsticker, Anna Herman-Czezuch, Nicola Kimiaie, Christopher Schirrmeister, Rone Yousif, Tina Buchmann, Johannes Grabenstein, Hartwig Deneke, Jonas Witthuhn, Claudia Emde, Felix Gödde, Bernhard Mayer, Leonhard Scheck, Marion Schroedter-Homscheidt, Philipp Hofbauer, and Matthias Struck
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 4975–5007, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4975-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4975-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Measured power data from solar photovoltaic (PV) systems contain information about the state of the atmosphere. In this work, power data from PV systems in the Allgäu region in Germany were used to determine the solar irradiance at each location, using state-of-the-art simulation and modelling. The results were validated using concurrent measurements of the incoming solar radiation in each case. If applied on a wider scale, this algorithm could help improve weather and climate models.
Xavier Ceamanos, Bruno Six, Suman Moparthy, Dominique Carrer, Adèle Georgeot, Josef Gasteiger, Jérôme Riedi, Jean-Luc Attié, Alexei Lyapustin, and Iosif Katsev
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 2575–2599, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2575-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2575-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
A new algorithm to retrieve the diurnal evolution of aerosol optical depth over land and ocean from geostationary meteorological satellites is proposed and successfully evaluated with reference ground-based and satellite data. The high-temporal-resolution aerosol observations that are obtained from the EUMETSAT Meteosat Second Generation mission are unprecedented and open the door to studies that cannot be conducted with the once-a-day observations available from low-Earth-orbit satellites.
Leonie Bernet, Tove Svendby, Georg Hansen, Yvan Orsolini, Arne Dahlback, Florence Goutail, Andrea Pazmiño, Boyan Petkov, and Arve Kylling
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 4165–4184, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4165-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4165-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
After the severe destruction of the ozone layer, the amount of ozone in the stratosphere is expected to increase again. At northern high latitudes, however, such a recovery has not been detected yet. To assess ozone changes in that region, we analyse the amount of ozone above specific locations (total ozone) measured at three stations in Norway. We found that total ozone increases significantly at two Arctic stations, which may be an indication of ozone recovery at northern high latitudes.
Veronika Pörtge, Tobias Kölling, Anna Weber, Lea Volkmer, Claudia Emde, Tobias Zinner, Linda Forster, and Bernhard Mayer
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 645–667, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-645-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-645-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
In this work, we analyze polarized cloudbow observations by the airborne camera system specMACS to retrieve the cloud droplet size distribution defined by the effective radius (reff) and the effective variance (veff). Two case studies of trade-wind cumulus clouds observed during the EUREC4A field campaign are presented. The results are combined into maps of reff and veff with a very high spatial resolution (100 m × 100 m) that allow new insights into cloud microphysics.
Huan Yu, Claudia Emde, Arve Kylling, Ben Veihelmann, Bernhard Mayer, Kerstin Stebel, and Michel Van Roozendael
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 5743–5768, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-5743-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-5743-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
In this study, we have investigated the impact of 3D clouds on the tropospheric NO2 retrieval from UV–visible sensors. We applied standard NO2 retrieval methods including cloud corrections to synthetic data generated by the 3D radiative transfer model. A sensitivity study was done for synthetic data, and dependencies on various parameters were investigated. Possible mitigation strategies were investigated and compared based on 3D simulations and observed data.
Arve Kylling, Claudia Emde, Huan Yu, Michel van Roozendael, Kerstin Stebel, Ben Veihelmann, and Bernhard Mayer
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 3481–3495, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3481-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3481-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Atmospheric trace gases such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2) may be measured by satellite instruments sensitive to solar ultraviolet–visible radiation reflected from Earth and its atmosphere. For a single pixel, clouds in neighbouring pixels may affect the radiation and hence the retrieved trace gas amount. We found that for a solar zenith angle less than about 40° this cloud-related NO2 bias is typically below 10 %, while for larger solar zenith angles the NO2 bias is on the order of tens of percent.
Marilena Teri, Thomas Müller, Josef Gasteiger, Sara Valentini, Helmuth Horvath, Roberta Vecchi, Paulus Bauer, Adrian Walser, and Bernadett Weinzierl
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 3161–3187, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3161-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3161-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We performed an extensive closure study including laboratory and simulated experiments to evaluate various angular corrections for the Aurora 4000 polar nephelometer, focusing on irregularly shaped aerosols such as mineral dust. We describe the impact of particle size, refractive index, and shape on the determination of the particle scattering coefficient and propose a guideline to establish the most appropriate angular correction depending on the aerosol type and the investigated size range.
Luca Bugliaro, Dennis Piontek, Stephan Kox, Marius Schmidl, Bernhard Mayer, Richard Müller, Margarita Vázquez-Navarro, Daniel M. Peters, Roy G. Grainger, Josef Gasteiger, and Jayanta Kar
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 1029–1054, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-22-1029-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-22-1029-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The monitoring of ash dispersion in the atmosphere is an important task for satellite remote sensing since ash represents a threat to air traffic. We present an AI-based method that retrieves the spatial extension and properties of volcanic ash clouds with high temporal resolution during day and night by means of geostationary satellite measurements. This algorithm, trained on realistic observations simulated with a radiative transfer model, runs operationally at the German Weather Service.
Christine D. Groot Zwaaftink, Wenche Aas, Sabine Eckhardt, Nikolaos Evangeliou, Paul Hamer, Mona Johnsrud, Arve Kylling, Stephen M. Platt, Kerstin Stebel, Hilde Uggerud, and Karl Espen Yttri
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 3789–3810, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3789-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3789-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We investigate causes of a poor-air-quality episode in northern Europe in October 2020 during which EU health limits for air quality were vastly exceeded. Such episodes may trigger measures to improve air quality. Analysis based on satellite observations, transport simulations, and surface observations revealed two sources of pollution. Emissions of mineral dust in Central Asia and biomass burning in Ukraine arrived almost simultaneously in Norway, and transport continued into the Arctic.
Claudia Emde, Huan Yu, Arve Kylling, Michel van Roozendael, Kerstin Stebel, Ben Veihelmann, and Bernhard Mayer
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 1587–1608, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-1587-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-1587-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Retrievals of trace gas concentrations from satellite observations can be affected by clouds in the vicinity, either by shadowing or by scattering of radiation from clouds in the clear region. We used a Monte Carlo radiative transfer model to generate synthetic satellite observations, which we used to test retrieval algorithms and to quantify the error of retrieved NO2 vertical column density due to cloud scattering.
Alexandra Tsekeri, Vassilis Amiridis, Alexandros Louridas, George Georgoussis, Volker Freudenthaler, Spiros Metallinos, George Doxastakis, Josef Gasteiger, Nikolaos Siomos, Peristera Paschou, Thanasis Georgiou, George Tsaknakis, Christos Evangelatos, and Ioannis Binietoglou
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 7453–7474, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-7453-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-7453-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Dust orientation in the Earth's atmosphere has been an ongoing investigation in recent years, and its potential proof will be a paradigm shift for dust remote sensing. We have designed and developed a polarization lidar that provides direct measurements of dust orientation, as well as more detailed information of the particle microphysics. We provide a description of its design as well as its first measurements.
Marc Schwaerzel, Dominik Brunner, Fabian Jakub, Claudia Emde, Brigitte Buchmann, Alexis Berne, and Gerrit Kuhlmann
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 6469–6482, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6469-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6469-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
NO2 maps from airborne imaging remote sensing often appear much smoother than one would expect from high-resolution model simulations of NO2 over cities, despite the small ground-pixel size of the sensors. Our case study over Zurich, using the newly implemented building module of the MYSTIC radiative transfer solver, shows that the 3D effect can explain part of the smearing and that building shadows cause a noticeable underestimation and noise in the measured NO2 columns.
Daniel Zawada, Ghislain Franssens, Robert Loughman, Antti Mikkonen, Alexei Rozanov, Claudia Emde, Adam Bourassa, Seth Dueck, Hannakaisa Lindqvist, Didier Ramon, Vladimir Rozanov, Emmanuel Dekemper, Erkki Kyrölä, John P. Burrows, Didier Fussen, and Doug Degenstein
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 3953–3972, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-3953-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-3953-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Satellite measurements of atmospheric composition often rely on computer tools known as radiative transfer models to model the propagation of sunlight within the atmosphere. Here we have performed a detailed inter-comparison of seven different radiative transfer models in a variety of conditions. We have found that the models agree remarkably well, at a level better than previously reported. This result provides confidence in our understanding of atmospheric radiative transfer.
Tove M. Svendby, Bjørn Johnsen, Arve Kylling, Arne Dahlback, Germar H. Bernhard, Georg H. Hansen, Boyan Petkov, and Vito Vitale
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 7881–7899, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-7881-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-7881-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Measurements of total ozone and effective cloud transmittance (eCLT) have been performed since 1995 at three Norwegian sites with GUV multi-filter instruments. The unique data sets of high-time-resolution measurements can be used for a broad range of studies. Data analyses reveal an increase in total ozone above Norway from 1995 to 2019. Measurements of GUV eCLT indicate changes in albedo in Ny-Ålesund (Svalbard) during the past 25 years, most likely resulting from increased Arctic ice melt.
Marc Schwaerzel, Claudia Emde, Dominik Brunner, Randulph Morales, Thomas Wagner, Alexis Berne, Brigitte Buchmann, and Gerrit Kuhlmann
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 4277–4293, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-4277-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-4277-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Horizontal homogeneity is often assumed for trace gases remote sensing, although it is not valid where trace gas concentrations have high spatial variability, e.g., in cities. We show the importance of 3D effects for MAX-DOAS and airborne imaging spectrometers using 3D-box air mass factors implemented in the MYSTIC radiative transfer solver. In both cases, 3D information is invaluable for interpreting the measurements, as not considering 3D effects can lead to misinterpretation of measurements.
Arve Kylling, Hamidreza Ardeshiri, Massimo Cassiani, Anna Solvejg Dinger, Soon-Young Park, Ignacio Pisso, Norbert Schmidbauer, Kerstin Stebel, and Andreas Stohl
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 3303–3318, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-3303-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-3303-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Atmospheric turbulence and its effect on tracer dispersion in particular may be measured by cameras sensitive to the absorption of ultraviolet (UV) sunlight by sulfur dioxide (SO2). Using large eddy simulation and 3D Monte Carlo radiative transfer modelling of a SO2 plume, we demonstrate that UV camera images of SO2 plumes may be used to derive plume statistics of relevance for the study of atmospheric turbulent dispersion.
Antonio Spanu, Maximilian Dollner, Josef Gasteiger, T. Paul Bui, and Bernadett Weinzierl
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 1963–1987, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-1963-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-1963-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
This study investigates how the airflow around wing-mounted instruments on fast-flying aircraft affects aerosol and cloud measurements. It combines airborne data with numerical simulations and shows that particle speed, particle concentration, and shape of water droplets are modified by the airflow. The proposed correction strategy for optical particle counters and optical array probes considers airflow effects and significantly reduces errors of derived ambient aerosol and cloud properties.
Paul Ockenfuß, Claudia Emde, Bernhard Mayer, and Germar Bernhard
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 1961–1976, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-1961-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-1961-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
We model solar radiation as it would be measured on the Earth's surface in the core shadow of a total solar eclipse. Subsequently, we compare our results to observations during the total eclipse 2017 for ultraviolet, visible and near-infrared wavelengths. Moreover, we analyze the effect of the surface reflectance, the ozone profile, aerosol and the topography and give a visualization of the prevailing photons paths in the atmosphere during the eclipse.
Hans Grob, Claudia Emde, Matthias Wiegner, Meinhard Seefeldner, Linda Forster, and Bernhard Mayer
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 239–258, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-239-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-239-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Polarimetry has been established as an enhancement to classical photometry in aerosol remote sensing over the past years. We propose a fast and exact radiometric and polarimetric calibration method for polarized photometers. Additionally, a technique for correcting an alt-azimuthal mount is introduced.
These methods are applied to measurements obtained with our SSARA instrument during the A-LIFE field campaign. For 2 d, the data are subjected to an inversion of aerosol optical properties.
Carlos Toledano, Benjamín Torres, Cristian Velasco-Merino, Dietrich Althausen, Silke Groß, Matthias Wiegner, Bernadett Weinzierl, Josef Gasteiger, Albert Ansmann, Ramiro González, David Mateos, David Farrel, Thomas Müller, Moritz Haarig, and Victoria E. Cachorro
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 14571–14583, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-14571-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-14571-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Ground-based sun photometers have been used to analyze the properties of long-range transported Saharan dust over Barbados. The measurements were carried out as part of the Saharan Aerosol Long-Range Transport and Aerosol–Cloud-Interaction Experiment (SALTRACE), carried out in the Caribbean in 2013. A variety of instruments, ground-based and airborne, were used in this research. In this paper, the sun photometer data are presented and related to data collected from other co-located instruments.
Sieglinde Callewaert, Sophie Vandenbussche, Nicolas Kumps, Arve Kylling, Xiaoxia Shang, Mika Komppula, Philippe Goloub, and Martine De Mazière
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 3673–3698, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-3673-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-3673-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
This article presents the updated MAPIR algorithm, which uses infrared satellite data to obtain the global 3-D distribution of mineral aerosols. A description of the method together with its technical improvements is given. Additionally, a 10-year data set was generated and used to evaluate this new algorithm against AERONET, CALIOP, CATS and two ground-based lidar stations. We have shown that the new MAPIR algorithm provides reliable aerosol optical depth and dust layer mean altitude profiles.
Nikolaos Evangeliou, Arve Kylling, Sabine Eckhardt, Viktor Myroniuk, Kerstin Stebel, Ronan Paugam, Sergiy Zibtsev, and Andreas Stohl
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 1393–1411, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-1393-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-1393-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We simulated the peatland fires that burned in Greenland in summer 2017. Using satellite data, we estimated that the total burned area was 2345 ha, the fuel amount consumed 117 kt C and the emissions of BC, OC and BrC 23.5, 731 and 141 t, respectively. About 30 % of the emissions were deposited on snow or ice surfaces. This caused a maximum albedo change of 0.007 and a surface radiative forcing of 0.03–0.04 W m−2, with local maxima of up to 0.63–0.77 W m−2. Overall, the fires had a small impact.
Matthias Wiegner, Ina Mattis, Margit Pattantyús-Ábrahám, Juan Antonio Bravo-Aranda, Yann Poltera, Alexander Haefele, Maxime Hervo, Ulrich Görsdorf, Ronny Leinweber, Josef Gasteiger, Martial Haeffelin, Frank Wagner, Jan Cermak, Katerina Komínková, Mike Brettle, Christoph Münkel, and Kornelia Pönitz
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 471–490, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-471-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-471-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Many ceilometers are influenced by water vapor absorption in the spectral range around 910 nm. Thus, a correction is required to retrieve aerosol optical properties. Validation of this correction scheme was performed in the framework of CeiLinEx2015 for several ceilometers with good agreement for Vaisala's CL51 ceilometer. For future applications we recommend monitoring the emitted wavelength and providing
darkmeasurements on a regular basis to be able to correct for signal artifacts.
Anna Solvejg Dinger, Kerstin Stebel, Massimo Cassiani, Hamidreza Ardeshiri, Cirilo Bernardo, Arve Kylling, Soon-Young Park, Ignacio Pisso, Norbert Schmidbauer, Jan Wasseng, and Andreas Stohl
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 6169–6188, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-6169-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-6169-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents an artificial release experiment aimed to improve the understanding of turbulence in the atmospheric boundary layer. A new set of image processing methods was developed to analyse the turbulent dispersion of sulfur dioxide (SO2) puffs. For this a tomographic setup of six SO2 cameras was used to image artificially released SO2 gas.
Ka Lok Chan, Matthias Wiegner, Harald Flentje, Ina Mattis, Frank Wagner, Josef Gasteiger, and Alexander Geiß
Geosci. Model Dev., 11, 3807–3831, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-11-3807-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-11-3807-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
The paper presents the comparison of ECMWF-IFS model simulation of aerosol backscatter profiles to long-term measurements of an extended ceilometer network. A significant influence of the numerical description of the hygroscopic growth of sea salt aerosols on the agreement between model and observations was found. Consideration of the nonsphericity of dust particles in the model reduced the attenuated backscatter of dust by ~&thinp;30 % and improved the agreement between model and observations.
Josef Gasteiger and Matthias Wiegner
Geosci. Model Dev., 11, 2739–2762, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-11-2739-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-11-2739-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
A software package has been developed to model optical properties of atmospheric aerosol ensembles based on a pre-calculated single particle data set. Spherical particles, spheroids, and a small set of irregular shapes are covered. A flexible and intuitive web interface is provided for online calculations of user-defined ensembles. The paper describes the package and outlines several applications, e.g., optical properties for aerosol size bins of an aerosol transport model.
Arve Kylling, Sophie Vandenbussche, Virginie Capelle, Juan Cuesta, Lars Klüser, Luca Lelli, Thomas Popp, Kerstin Stebel, and Pepijn Veefkind
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 2911–2936, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-2911-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-2911-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
The aerosol layer height is one of four aerosol parameters which is needed to enhance our understanding of aerosols' role in the climate system. Both active and passive measurement methods may be used to estimate the aerosol layer height. Aerosol height estimates made from passive infrared and solar satellite sensors measurements are compared with satellite-borne lidar estimates. There is considerable variation between the retrieved dust heights and how they compare with the lidar.
Jonas Gliß, Kerstin Stebel, Arve Kylling, and Aasmund Sudbø
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 781–801, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-781-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-781-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
The paper focusses on gas-velocity retrievals in emission plumes using optical flow (OF) algorithms applied to remote sensing imagery. OF algorithms can measure the velocities on a pixel level between consecutive images. An issue of OF algorithms is that they often fail to detect motion in contrast-poor image areas. A correction based on histograms of an OF vector field is proposed. The new method is applied to two example volcanic data sets from Mt Etna, Italy and Guallatiri, Chile.
Moritz Haarig, Albert Ansmann, Josef Gasteiger, Konrad Kandler, Dietrich Althausen, Holger Baars, Martin Radenz, and David A. Farrell
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 14199–14217, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-14199-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-14199-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
The depolarization ratio and the backscatter coefficient of marine particles are correlated with the relative humidity. The measurements were performed under atmospheric conditions with a multi-wavelength lidar system in pure marine conditions over Barbados in February 2014. For RH < 50 % the sea salt particles have a cubic-like shape resulting in an enhanced depolarization ratio of up to 0.15. This agrees with model results of cubic sea salt. The extinction enhancement f(RH) factor was derived.
Adrian Walser, Daniel Sauer, Antonio Spanu, Josef Gasteiger, and Bernadett Weinzierl
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 10, 4341–4361, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-4341-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-4341-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We present a new approach to model the response of optical particle counters (OPCs) including a simple parametrization for artificial broadening of size spectra induced by the non-ideal behavior of real OPCs. We show a self-consistent way to evaluate calibration measurements and outline how particle number size distributions with realistic uncertainty estimates can be derived. The innovations will improve the accuracy of OPC-derived size distributions and allow to assess their precision.
Moritz Haarig, Albert Ansmann, Dietrich Althausen, André Klepel, Silke Groß, Volker Freudenthaler, Carlos Toledano, Rodanthi-Elisavet Mamouri, David A. Farrell, Damien A. Prescod, Eleni Marinou, Sharon P. Burton, Josef Gasteiger, Ronny Engelmann, and Holger Baars
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 10767–10794, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-10767-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-10767-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Our measurements performed with a lidar on Barbados give a vertical profile of Saharan dust, which was transported over 5000 km across the Atlantic. The new triple-wavelength depolarization technique reveals more information about the shape and size of dust, which will improve our understanding of the aging process of dust in the atmosphere and its representation in dust models. Changing properties of dust particles influence the solar radiation and the cloud properties and thus our climate.
Birthe Marie Steensen, Arve Kylling, Nina Iren Kristiansen, and Michael Schulz
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 9205–9222, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-9205-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-9205-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
An inversion method is tested in a forecasting setting for constraining ash dispersion by satellite observations. The sensitivity of a priori and
satellite uncertainties is tested for the a posteriori term. The a posteriori is also tested with four different assumptions affecting the retrieved
ash satellite data. In forecasting mode, the a posteriori changes after only 12 h of satellite observations and produces better forecasts than a priori.
John Faulkner Burkhart, Arve Kylling, Crystal B. Schaaf, Zhuosen Wang, Wiley Bogren, Rune Storvold, Stian Solbø, Christina A. Pedersen, and Sebastian Gerland
The Cryosphere, 11, 1575–1589, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-1575-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-1575-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We present the first use of spectrometer measurements from a drone to assess reflectance and albedo over the Greenland Ice Sheet. In order to measure albedo – a critical parameter in the earth's energy balance – a drone was flown along 200 km transects coincident with Terra and Aqua satellites flying MODIS. We present a direct comparison of UAV-measured reflectance with satellite data over Greenland and provide a new method to study cryospheric surfaces using UAV with spectral instruments.
Frances Beckett, Arve Kylling, Guðmunda Sigurðardóttir, Sibylle von Löwis, and Claire Witham
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 4401–4418, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-4401-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-4401-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Ash deposits can be remobilized for years following a volcanic eruption, and the resulting resuspended ash clouds can pose a significant hazard to local populations and airports. The aim of this work is to improve our ability to forecast resuspended ash storms. We use satellite imagery to constrain the emission rate of resuspended particles in an atmospheric dispersion model used to forecast resuspension events in Iceland.
Josef Gasteiger, Silke Groß, Daniel Sauer, Moritz Haarig, Albert Ansmann, and Bernadett Weinzierl
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 297–311, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-297-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-297-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
To study aerosol transport in the Saharan Air Layer (SAL) from Africa to the Caribbean, we combine advanced optical models of Saharan aerosols with Stokes settling and two hypotheses about the occurrence of vertical mixing. By testing our hypotheses with lidar and in situ profiles measured near the top of the transported SAL, we find strong evidence that vertical mixing occurs in the SAL over the Atlantic with significant consequences for size distribution of the transported Saharan aerosols.
Tobias Zinner, Petra Hausmann, Florian Ewald, Luca Bugliaro, Claudia Emde, and Bernhard Mayer
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 4615–4632, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-4615-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-4615-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
A new retrieval of optical thickness and effective particle size of ice clouds over a wide range of optical thickness from transmittance measurements is presented. A visible range spectral slope is used to resolve the transmittance optical thickness ambiguity. Retrieval sensitivity to ice crystal habit, aerosol, albedo, sensor accuracy and lookup table interpolation is presented as well as an application of the method and comparison to satellite products for 2 days.
Silke Groß, Josef Gasteiger, Volker Freudenthaler, Thomas Müller, Daniel Sauer, Carlos Toledano, and Albert Ansmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 11535–11546, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-11535-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-11535-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Dual-wavelength depolarization sensitive Raman lidar measurements were used to characterize the optical properties of the dust loaded convective boundary layer over the Caribbean. Furthermore we derived the dust volume fraction and dust mass concentration within the convective boundary layer.
N. Evangeliou, Y. Balkanski, W. M. Hao, A. Petkov, R. P. Silverstein, R. Corley, B. L. Nordgren, S. P. Urbanski, S. Eckhardt, A. Stohl, P. Tunved, S. Crepinsek, A. Jefferson, S. Sharma, J. K. Nøjgaard, and H. Skov
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 7587–7604, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-7587-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-7587-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
In this study, we focused on how vegetation fires that occurred in northern Eurasia during the period 2002–2013 influenced the budget of BC in the Arctic. An average area of 250 000 km2 yr−1 was burned in northern Eurasia and the global emissions of BC ranged between 8.0 and 9.5 Tg yr−1, while 102 ± 29 kt yr−1 BC from biomass burning was deposited on the Arctic. About 46 % of the Arctic BC from vegetation fires originated from Siberia, 6 % from Kazakhstan, 5 % from Europe, and about 1 % from Mon
Arve Kylling
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 2103–2117, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-2103-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-2103-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
During volcanic eruptions the presence of ice clouds may affect the volcanic ash signal in infrared satellite measurements. By comparison of measured infrared spectra with spectra from a radiative transfer model including both ash and ice clouds, it is shown that during the Mt Kelud February 2014 eruption, both ash and ice clouds were present simultaneously. The presence of ice clouds lowers the estimated amount of volcanic ash in the atmosphere.
Claudia Emde, Robert Buras-Schnell, Arve Kylling, Bernhard Mayer, Josef Gasteiger, Ulrich Hamann, Jonas Kylling, Bettina Richter, Christian Pause, Timothy Dowling, and Luca Bugliaro
Geosci. Model Dev., 9, 1647–1672, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-9-1647-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-9-1647-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
libradtran is a widely used software package for radiative transfer calculations. It allows one to compute (polarized) radiances, irradiance, and actinic fluxes in the solar and thermal spectral regions. This paper gives an overview of libradtran version 2.0 with focus on new features (e.g. polarization, Raman scattering, absorption parameterization, cloud and aerosol optical properties). libRadtran is freely available at http://www.libradtran.org.
Quentin Coopman, Timothy J. Garrett, Jérôme Riedi, Sabine Eckhardt, and Andreas Stohl
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 4661–4674, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-4661-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-4661-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
We analyze interactions of Arctic clouds with pollution plumes that have been transported long distances from midlatitudes. Constraining for meteorological state, we find that pollution decreases cloud-droplet effective radius and increases cloud optical depth. The impact is highest when the atmosphere is particularly humid and/or stable suggesting that aerosol–cloud interactions depend on the Arctic's climate.
Wiley Steven Bogren, John Faulkner Burkhart, and Arve Kylling
The Cryosphere, 10, 613–622, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-613-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-613-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
The magnitude and makeup of error in cryospheric radiation observations due to small sensor misalignment in in situ measurements of solar irradiance is evaluated. It is shown that relatively minor sensor misalignments give significant errors in irradiance and hence albedo measurements. The total measurement error introduced by sensor tilt is dominated by the direct component. Significant measurement error can also persist in integrated daily irradiance and albedo.
M. Wiegner and J. Gasteiger
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 3971–3984, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-3971-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-3971-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
For the past few years a large number of autonomous continuously operating single-wavelength backscatter lidars, so called ceilometers, have been installed. Currently the assessment of their potential for aerosol remote sensing is a major research topic. This paper focusses on the need to consider water vapor
absorption if ceilometers emitting at wavelengths in the 905 to 910 nm range are used and proposes a correction scheme to improve the retrieval of the aerosol backscatter coefficient.
N. Hanrieder, S. Wilbert, R. Pitz-Paal, C. Emde, J. Gasteiger, B. Mayer, and J. Polo
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 3467–3480, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-3467-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-3467-2015, 2015
P. Koepke, J. Gasteiger, and M. Hess
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 5947–5956, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-5947-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-5947-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
Desert dust particles in general are not spherical, which changes their scattering functions against that for spheres that often are used for remote-sensing and radiation budget investigations. In the new version of the data base OPAC (Optical Properties of Aerosols and Clouds), which easily allows one to model a large range of microphysical and optical aerosol properties for individually decided component mixtures, now typical non-spherical mineral particles are taken into account.
H. S. Gadhavi, K. Renuka, V. Ravi Kiran, A. Jayaraman, A. Stohl, Z. Klimont, and G. Beig
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 1447–1461, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-1447-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-1447-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
Emission inventories are a key component of simulating past, present and future climate. In this article we have evaluated three black carbon emission inventories for emissions of India using observations made from a strategic location. Annual average simulated black carbon concentration is found to be 35% to 60% lower than observed concentration because of underestimation of emissions of southern India in the inventories.
J. Gasteiger and V. Freudenthaler
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 7, 3773–3781, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-7-3773-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-7-3773-2014, 2014
R. L. Thompson and A. Stohl
Geosci. Model Dev., 7, 2223–2242, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-7-2223-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-7-2223-2014, 2014
M. Wiegner, F. Madonna, I. Binietoglou, R. Forkel, J. Gasteiger, A. Geiß, G. Pappalardo, K. Schäfer, and W. Thomas
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 7, 1979–1997, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-7-1979-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-7-1979-2014, 2014
X. Fang, R. L. Thompson, T. Saito, Y. Yokouchi, J. Kim, S. Li, K. R. Kim, S. Park, F. Graziosi, and A. Stohl
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 4779–4791, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-4779-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-4779-2014, 2014
A. Kylling, M. Kahnert, H. Lindqvist, and T. Nousiainen
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 7, 919–929, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-7-919-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-7-919-2014, 2014
M. Fiebig, D. Hirdman, C. R. Lunder, J. A. Ogren, S. Solberg, A. Stohl, and R. L. Thompson
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 3083–3093, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-3083-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-3083-2014, 2014
P. Kokkalis, A. Papayannis, V. Amiridis, R. E. Mamouri, I. Veselovskii, A. Kolgotin, G. Tsaknakis, N. I. Kristiansen, A. Stohl, and L. Mona
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 9303–9320, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-9303-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-9303-2013, 2013
M. von Hobe, S. Bekki, S. Borrmann, F. Cairo, F. D'Amato, G. Di Donfrancesco, A. Dörnbrack, A. Ebersoldt, M. Ebert, C. Emde, I. Engel, M. Ern, W. Frey, S. Genco, S. Griessbach, J.-U. Grooß, T. Gulde, G. Günther, E. Hösen, L. Hoffmann, V. Homonnai, C. R. Hoyle, I. S. A. Isaksen, D. R. Jackson, I. M. Jánosi, R. L. Jones, K. Kandler, C. Kalicinsky, A. Keil, S. M. Khaykin, F. Khosrawi, R. Kivi, J. Kuttippurath, J. C. Laube, F. Lefèvre, R. Lehmann, S. Ludmann, B. P. Luo, M. Marchand, J. Meyer, V. Mitev, S. Molleker, R. Müller, H. Oelhaf, F. Olschewski, Y. Orsolini, T. Peter, K. Pfeilsticker, C. Piesch, M. C. Pitts, L. R. Poole, F. D. Pope, F. Ravegnani, M. Rex, M. Riese, T. Röckmann, B. Rognerud, A. Roiger, C. Rolf, M. L. Santee, M. Scheibe, C. Schiller, H. Schlager, M. Siciliani de Cumis, N. Sitnikov, O. A. Søvde, R. Spang, N. Spelten, F. Stordal, O. Sumińska-Ebersoldt, A. Ulanovski, J. Ungermann, S. Viciani, C. M. Volk, M. vom Scheidt, P. von der Gathen, K. Walker, T. Wegner, R. Weigel, S. Weinbruch, G. Wetzel, F. G. Wienhold, I. Wohltmann, W. Woiwode, I. A. K. Young, V. Yushkov, B. Zobrist, and F. Stroh
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 9233–9268, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-9233-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-9233-2013, 2013
R. Kallenborn, K. Breivik, S. Eckhardt, C. R. Lunder, S. Manø, M. Schlabach, and A. Stohl
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 6983–6992, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-6983-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-6983-2013, 2013
A. Kylling, R. Buras, S. Eckhardt, C. Emde, B. Mayer, and A. Stohl
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 6, 649–660, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-6-649-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-6-649-2013, 2013
Related subject area
Subject: Aerosols | Technique: Remote Sensing | Topic: Data Processing and Information Retrieval
Compact dual-wavelength depolarization lidar for aerosol characterization over the subtropical North Atlantic
Towards gridded nighttime aerosol optical thickness retrievals using VIIRS day–night band observations over regions with artificial light sources
Multi-layer retrieval of aerosol optical depth in the troposphere using SEVIRI data: a case study of the European continent
Star photometry with all-sky cameras to retrieve aerosol optical depth at night-time
Ground-based contrail observations: comparisons with reanalysis weather data and contrail model simulations
Improvements in aerosol layer height retrievals from TROPOMI oxygen A-band measurements by surface albedo fitting in optimal estimation
Satellite Aerosol Composition Retrieval from a combination of three different Instruments: Information content analysis
Retrieval of stratospheric aerosol extinction coefficients from sun-normalized Ozone Mapper and Profiler Suite Limb Profiler (OMPS-LP) measurements
Total column optical depths retrieved from CALIPSO lidar ocean surface backscatter
ACDL/DQ-1 Calibration Algorithms. Part I: Nighttime 532 nm Polarization and High-Spectral-Resolution Channel
ALICENET – an Italian network of automated lidar ceilometers for four-dimensional aerosol monitoring: infrastructure, data processing, and applications
Post-process correction improves the accuracy of satellite PM2.5 retrievals
Increasing aerosol optical depth spatial and temporal availability by merging datasets from geostationary and sun-synchronous satellites
Synergy of active and passive airborne observations for heating rates calculation during the AEROCLO-SA field campaign in Namibia
Multi-angle aerosol optical depth retrieval method based on improved surface reflectance
Comparison of diurnal aerosol products retrieved from combinations of micro-pulse lidar and sun photometer observations over the KAUST observation site
First atmospheric aerosol-monitoring results from the Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS) over Asia
Aerosol optical depth data fusion with Geostationary Korea Multi-Purpose Satellite (GEO-KOMPSAT-2) instruments GEMS, AMI, and GOCI-II: statistical and deep neural network methods
Stratospheric aerosol characteristics from SCIAMACHY limb observations: two-parameter retrieval
Retrieval and analysis of the composition of an aerosol mixture through Mie–Raman–fluorescence lidar observations
Using neural networks for near-real-time aerosol retrievals from OMPS Limb Profiler measurements
Transport of the Hunga volcanic aerosols inferred from Himawari-8/9 limb measurements
A near-global multiyear climate data record of the fine-mode and coarse-mode components of atmospheric pure dust
Innovative aerosol hygroscopic growth study from Mie–Raman–fluorescence lidar and microwave radiometer synergy
Evaluation of calibration performance of a low-cost particulate matter sensor using collocated and distant NO2
Geostationary aerosol retrievals of extreme biomass burning plumes during the 2019–2020 Australian bushfires
Multi-wavelength dataset of aerosol extinction profiles retrieved from GOMOS stellar occultation measurements
Deep-Pathfinder: a boundary layer height detection algorithm based on image segmentation
An iterative algorithm to simultaneously retrieve aerosol extinction and effective radius profiles using CALIOP
Cloud detection from multi-angular polarimetric satellite measurements using a neural network ensemble approach
Producing aerosol size distributions consistent with optical particle counters measurements using space-based measurements of aerosol extinction coefficient
Retrieving UV–Vis spectral single-scattering albedo of absorbing aerosols above clouds from synergy of ORACLES airborne and A-train sensors
Characterization of stratospheric particle size distribution uncertainties using SAGE II and SAGE III/ISS extinction spectra
Parameterizing spectral surface reflectance relationships for the Dark Target aerosol algorithm applied to a geostationary imager
Aerosol and cloud data processing and optical property retrieval algorithms for the spaceborne ACDL/DQ-1
Derivation of depolarization ratios of aerosol fluorescence and water vapor Raman backscatters from lidar measurements
Long-term aerosol particle depolarization ratio measurements with HALO Photonics Doppler lidar
HETEAC-Flex: an optimal estimation method for aerosol typing based on lidar-derived intensive optical properties
MAGARA: a Multi-Angle Geostationary Aerosol Retrieval Algorithm
Multi-section reference value for the analysis of horizontally scanning aerosol lidar observations
Retrieval of aerosol optical depth over the Arctic cryosphere during spring and summer using satellite observations
Quantifying particulate matter optical properties and flow rate in industrial stack plumes from the PRISMA hyperspectral imager
Aerosol retrieval over snow using the RemoTAP algorithm
Combined sun-photometer–lidar inversion: lessons learned during the EARLINET/ACTRIS COVID-19 campaign
Simultaneous retrieval of aerosol and ocean properties from PACE HARP2 with uncertainty assessment using cascading neural network radiative transfer models
Linear polarization signatures of atmospheric dust with the SolPol direct-sun polarimeter
Retrieval of aerosol properties from zenith sky radiance measurements
An ensemble method for improving the estimation of planetary boundary layer height from radiosonde data
Detection and analysis of Lhù'ààn Mân' (Kluane Lake) dust plumes using passive and active ground-based remote sensing supported by physical surface measurements
Cloud top heights and aerosol layer properties from EarthCARE lidar observations: the A-CTH and A-ALD products
Yenny González, María F. Sánchez-Barrero, Ioana Popovici, África Barreto, Stephane Victori, Ellsworth J. Welton, Rosa D. García, Pablo G. Sicilia, Fernando A. Almansa, Carlos Torres, and Philippe Goloub
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 1885–1908, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-1885-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-1885-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We characterize the optical properties of various aerosols using a compact dual-wavelength depolarization lidar (CIMEL CE376) at 532 and 808 nm. Through a modified two-wavelength Klett inversion method, we assess the vertical distribution and temporal evolution of Saharan dust, volcanic aerosols and wildfire smoke in the subtropical North Atlantic from August 2021 to August 2023. The study confirms the CE376 lidar's effectiveness in monitoring and characterizing atmospheric aerosols over time.
Jianglong Zhang, Jeffrey S. Reid, Blake T. Sorenson, Steven D. Miller, Miguel O. Román, Zhuosen Wang, Robert J. D. Spurr, Shawn Jaker, Thomas F. Eck, and Juli I. Rubin
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 1787–1810, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-1787-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-1787-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Using observations from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite day–night band, we developed a method for constructing gridded nighttime aerosol optical thickness (AOT) data based on the spatial derivative of measured top-of-atmosphere attenuated upwelling artificial lights at night. The gridded nighttime AOT retrievals, compared against Aerosol Robotic Network data, show reasonable skill levels for potential data assimilation, air quality, and climate studies of significant events.
Maryam Pashayi, Mehran Satari, and Mehdi Momeni Shahraki
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 1415–1439, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-1415-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-1415-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Multi-layer aerosol optical depth (AOD) is retrieved using the geostationary Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) and machine learning, trained on Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) data. The model provides AOD at a 3 km × 3 km spatial and 15 min temporal resolution over Europe. It accurately captured multi-layer AOD dynamics during Saharan dust transport and the Mount Etna eruption, demonstrating consistent physical accuracy.
Roberto Román, Daniel González-Fernández, Juan Carlos Antuña-Sánchez, Celia Herrero del Barrio, Sara Herrero-Anta, África Barreto, Victoria E. Cachorro, Lionel Doppler, Ramiro González, Christoph Ritter, David Mateos, Natalia Kouremeti, Gustavo Copes, Abel Calle, María José Granados-Muñoz, Carlos Toledano, and Ángel M. de Frutos
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-667, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-667, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This paper presents a novel technique to extract starlight signals from all-sky images and retrieve aerosol optical depth (AOD). It is validated against lunar photometry, showing a strong correlation between both data series. This innovative approach will expand nocturnal AOD measurements to more locations, as all-sky cameras are a simpler and more cost-effective alternative to stellar and lunar photometers.
Jade Low, Roger Teoh, Joel Ponsonby, Edward Gryspeerdt, Marc Shapiro, and Marc E. J. Stettler
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 37–56, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-37-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-37-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The radiative forcing due to contrails is of the same order of magnitude as aviation CO2 emissions but has a higher uncertainty. Observations are vital to improve our understanding of the contrail lifecycle, improve models, and measure the effect of mitigation action. Here, we use ground-based cameras combined with flight telemetry to track visible contrails and measure their lifetime and width. We evaluate model predictions and demonstrate the capability of this approach.
Martin de Graaf, Maarten Sneep, Mark ter Linden, L. Gijsbert Tilstra, and J. Pepijn Veefkind
Atmos. Meas. Tech. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2024-198, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2024-198, 2025
Revised manuscript accepted for AMT
Short summary
Short summary
The TROPOMI aerosol layer height is constantly being improved since its release in 2019. Over land, the ALH was too low (closer to the surface than expected), especially over bright scenes. This paper describes the latest improvements of the product, especially the treatment of the surface albedo over land. The results are compared with space-based aerosol profiles for a set of situations, ranging from multiple layers of smoke, thick desert dust plumes and low-altitude industrial pollution.
Ulrike Stöffelmair, Thomas Popp, Marco Vountas, and Hartmut Bösch
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2800, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2800, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The aerosol composition has a large influence on the climate system. This study uses realistic simulated scenarios to look at the information content of the combination of three satellite-based instruments (SLSTR, IASI and GOME-2). It shows that it is possible to retrieve 6 to 15 different aerosol components in addition to the AOD and different surface parameter. The results will be used for the development of a synergistic multi-sensor retrieval algorithms.
Alexei Rozanov, Christine Pohl, Carlo Arosio, Adam Bourassa, Klaus Bramstedt, Elizaveta Malinina, Landon Rieger, and John P. Burrows
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 6677–6695, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6677-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6677-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We developed a new algorithm to retrieve vertical distributions of aerosol extinction coefficients in the stratosphere. The algorithm is applied to measurements of scattered solar light from the spaceborne OMPS-LP (Ozone Mapper and Profiler Suite Limb Profiler) instrument. The retrieval results are compared to data from other spaceborne instruments and used to investigate the evolution of the aerosol plume following the eruption of the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha'apai volcano in January 2022.
Robert A. Ryan, Mark A. Vaughan, Sharon D. Rodier, Jason L. Tackett, John A. Reagan, Richard A. Ferrare, Johnathan W. Hair, John A. Smith, and Brian J. Getzewich
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 6517–6545, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6517-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6517-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We introduce Ocean Derived Column Optical Depth (ODCOD), a new way to estimate column optical depths using Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) measurements from the ocean surface. ODCOD estimates include contributions from particulates in the full column, which CALIOP estimates do not, making it a complement measurement to CALIOP’s standard estimates. We find that ODCOD compares well with other established data sets in the daytime but tends to estimate higher at night.
Fanqian Meng, Junwu Tang, Guangyao Dai, Wenrui Long, Kangwen Sun, Zhiyu Zhang, Xiaoquan Song, Jiqiao Liu, Weibiao Chen, and Songhua Wu
Atmos. Meas. Tech. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2024-179, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2024-179, 2024
Revised manuscript accepted for AMT
Short summary
Short summary
This paper presents a comprehensive calibration procedure for the first spaceborne high-spectral-resolution lidar with an iodine vapor absorption filter ACDL on board DQ-1 by utilizing nighttime 532 nm multi-channel data. And analyzed the error sources of the multi-channel calibration coefficients and assessed the results. The results shows that the ACDL polarization and HSRL channel calibration is reliable and operates within the expected error range of approximately 5 %.
Annachiara Bellini, Henri Diémoz, Luca Di Liberto, Gian Paolo Gobbi, Alessandro Bracci, Ferdinando Pasqualini, and Francesca Barnaba
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 6119–6144, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6119-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6119-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We provide a comprehensive overview of the Italian Automated LIdar-CEilometer network, ALICENET, describing its infrastructure, aerosol retrievals, and main applications. The supplement covers data-processing details. We include examples of output products, comparisons with independent data, and examples of the network capability to provide near-real-time aerosol fields over Italy. ALICENET is expected to benefit the sectors of air quality, radiative budget/solar energy, and aviation safety.
Andrea Porcheddu, Ville Kolehmainen, Timo Lähivaara, and Antti Lipponen
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 5747–5764, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-5747-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-5747-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study focuses on improving the accuracy of satellite-based PM2.5 retrieval, crucial for monitoring air quality and its impact on health. It employs machine learning to correct the AOD-to-PM2.5 conversion ratio using various data sources. The approach produces high-resolution PM2.5 estimates with improved accuracy. The method is flexible and can incorporate additional training data from different sources, making it a valuable tool for air quality monitoring and epidemiological studies.
Pawan Gupta, Robert C. Levy, Shana Mattoo, Lorraine A. Remer, Zhaohui Zhang, Virginia Sawyer, Jennifer Wei, Sally Zhao, Min Oo, V. Praju Kiliyanpilakkil, and Xiaohua Pan
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 5455–5476, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-5455-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-5455-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In this study, for the first time, we combined aerosol data from six satellites using a unified algorithm. The global datasets are generated at a high spatial resolution of about 25 km with an interval of 30 min. The new datasets are compared against ground truth and verified. They will be useful for various applications such as air quality monitoring, climate research, pollution diurnal variability, long-range smoke and dust transport, and evaluation of regional and global models.
Mégane Ventura, Fabien Waquet, Isabelle Chiapello, Gérard Brogniez, Frédéric Parol, Frédérique Auriol, Rodrigue Loisil, Cyril Delegove, Luc Blarel, Oleg Dubovik, Marc Mallet, Cyrille Flamant, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Meas. Tech. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2024-121, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2024-121, 2024
Revised manuscript accepted for AMT
Short summary
Short summary
Biomass burning aerosols (BBA) from Central Africa, are transported above stratocumulus clouds. The absorption of solar energy by aerosols induce warming, altering the clouds dynamics. We developed an approach that combines polarimeter and lidar to quantify it. This methodology is assessed during the AEROCLO-SA campaign. To validate it, we used flux measurements acquired during aircraft loop descents. Major perspective is the generalization of this method to the global level.
Lijuan Chen, Ren Wang, Ying Fei, Peng Fang, Yong Zha, and Haishan Chen
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 4411–4424, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4411-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4411-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study explores the problems of surface reflectance estimation from previous MISR satellite remote sensing images and develops an error correction model to obtain a higher-precision aerosol optical depth (AOD) product. High-accuracy AOD is important not only for the daily monitoring of air pollution but also for the study of energy exchange between land and atmosphere. This will help further improve the retrieval accuracy of multi-angle AOD on large spatial scales and for long time series.
Anton Lopatin, Oleg Dubovik, Georgiy Stenchikov, Ellsworth J. Welton, Illia Shevchenko, David Fuertes, Marcos Herreras-Giralda, Tatsiana Lapyonok, and Alexander Smirnov
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 4445–4470, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4445-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4445-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We compare aerosol properties over the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology campus using Generalized Retrieval of Aerosol and Surface Properties (GRASP) and the Micro-Pulse Lidar Network (MPLNET). We focus on the impact of different aerosol retrieval assumptions on daytime and nighttime retrievals and analyze seasonal variability in aerosol properties, aiding in understanding aerosol behavior and improving retrieval. Our work has implications for climate and public health.
Yeseul Cho, Jhoon Kim, Sujung Go, Mijin Kim, Seoyoung Lee, Minseok Kim, Heesung Chong, Won-Jin Lee, Dong-Won Lee, Omar Torres, and Sang Seo Park
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 4369–4390, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4369-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4369-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol optical properties have been provided by the Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS), the world’s first geostationary-Earth-orbit (GEO) satellite instrument designed for atmospheric environmental monitoring. This study describes improvements made to the GEMS aerosol retrieval algorithm (AERAOD) and presents its validation results. These enhancements aim to provide more accurate and reliable aerosol-monitoring results for Asia.
Minseok Kim, Jhoon Kim, Hyunkwang Lim, Seoyoung Lee, Yeseul Cho, Yun-Gon Lee, Sujung Go, and Kyunghwa Lee
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 4317–4335, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4317-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4317-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Information about aerosol loading in the atmosphere can be collected from various satellite instruments. Aerosol products from various satellite instruments have their own error characteristics. This study statistically merged aerosol optical depth datasets from multiple instruments aboard geostationary satellites considering uncertainties. Also, a deep neural network technique is adopted for aerosol data merging.
Christine Pohl, Felix Wrana, Alexei Rozanov, Terry Deshler, Elizaveta Malinina, Christian von Savigny, Landon A. Rieger, Adam E. Bourassa, and John P. Burrows
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 4153–4181, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4153-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4153-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Knowledge of stratospheric aerosol characteristics is important for understanding chemical and climate aerosol feedbacks. Two particle size distribution parameters, the aerosol extinction coefficient and the effective radius, are obtained from SCIAMACHY limb observations. The aerosol characteristics show good agreement with independent data sets from balloon-borne and satellite observations. This data set expands the limited knowledge of stratospheric aerosol characteristics.
Igor Veselovskii, Boris Barchunov, Qiaoyun Hu, Philippe Goloub, Thierry Podvin, Mikhail Korenskii, Gaël Dubois, William Boissiere, and Nikita Kasianik
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 4137–4152, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4137-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4137-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The paper presents a new method that categorizes atmospheric aerosols by analyzing their optical properties with a Mie–Raman–fluorescence lidar. The research specifically looks into understanding the presence of smoke, urban, and dust aerosols in the mixtures identified by this lidar. The reliability of the results is evaluated using the Monte Carlo technique. The effectiveness of this approach is successfully demonstrated through testing in ATOLL, an observatory influenced by diverse aerosols.
Michael D. Himes, Ghassan Taha, Daniel Kahn, Tong Zhu, and Natalya A. Kramarova
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1823, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1823, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite's Limb Profiler (OMPS LP) provides near-global coverage and information about how aerosols from volcanic eruptions and major wildfires are vertically distributed through the atmosphere. We developed a machine learning method to characterize aerosols using OMPS LP measurements about 60 times faster than the current approach. This near-real-time characterization can be used to ensure aviation flight paths avoid dangerous conditions.
Fred Prata
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3751–3764, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3751-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3751-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Geostationary satellite data have been used to measure the stratospheric aerosols from the explosive Hunga volcanic eruption by using the data in a novel way. The onboard imager views part of the Earth's limb and data from this region were analysed to generate vertical cross-sections of aerosols high in the atmosphere. The analyses show the hemispheric spread of the aerosols and their vertical structure in layers from 22–28 km in the stratosphere.
Emmanouil Proestakis, Antonis Gkikas, Thanasis Georgiou, Anna Kampouri, Eleni Drakaki, Claire L. Ryder, Franco Marenco, Eleni Marinou, and Vassilis Amiridis
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3625–3667, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3625-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3625-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
A new four-dimensional, multiyear, and near-global climate data record of the fine-mode (submicrometer diameter) and coarse-mode (supermicrometer diameter) components of atmospheric pure dust is presented. The dataset is considered unique with respect to a wide range of potential applications, including climatological, time series, and trend analysis over extensive geographical domains and temporal periods, validation of atmospheric dust models and datasets, and air quality.
Robin Miri, Olivier Pujol, Qiaoyun Hu, Philippe Goloub, Igor Veselovskii, Thierry Podvin, and Fabrice Ducos
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3367–3375, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3367-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3367-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This paper focuses on the use of fluorescence to study aerosols with lidar. An innovative method for aerosol hygroscopic growth study using fluorescence is presented. The paper presents case studies to showcase the effectiveness and potential of the proposed approach. These advancements will contribute to better understanding the interactions between aerosols and water vapor, with future work expected to be dedicated to aerosol–cloud interaction.
Kabseok Ko, Seokheon Cho, and Ramesh R. Rao
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3303–3322, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3303-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3303-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In our study, we examined how NO2, temperature, and relative humidity influence the calibration of PurpleAir PA-II sensors. We found that incorporating NO2 data from collocated reliable instruments enhances PM2.5 calibration performance. Due to the impracticality of collocating reliable NO2 instruments with sensors, we suggest using distant NO2 data for calibration. We demonstrated that performance improves when distant NO2 correlates highly with collocated NO2 measurements.
Daniel J. V. Robbins, Caroline A. Poulsen, Steven T. Siems, Simon R. Proud, Andrew T. Prata, Roy G. Grainger, and Adam C. Povey
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3279–3302, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3279-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3279-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Extreme wildfire events are becoming more common with climate change. The smoke plumes associated with these wildfires are not captured by current operational satellite products due to their high optical thickness. We have developed a novel aerosol retrieval for the Advanced Himawari Imager to study these plumes. We find very high values of optical thickness not observed in other operational satellite products, suggesting these plumes have been missed in previous studies.
Viktoria F. Sofieva, Monika Szelag, Johanna Tamminen, Didier Fussen, Christine Bingen, Filip Vanhellemont, Nina Mateshvili, Alexei Rozanov, and Christine Pohl
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3085–3101, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3085-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3085-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We have developed the new multi-wavelength dataset of aerosol extinction profiles, which are retrieved from the averaged transmittance spectra by the Global Ozone Monitoring by Occultation of Stars instrument aboard Envisat. The retrieved aerosol extinction profiles are provided in the altitude range 10–40 km at 400, 440, 452, 470, 500, 525, 550, 672 and 750 nm for the period 2002–2012. FMI-GOMOSaero aerosol profiles have improved quality; they are in good agreement with other datasets.
Jasper S. Wijnands, Arnoud Apituley, Diego Alves Gouveia, and Jan Willem Noteboom
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3029–3045, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3029-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3029-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The mixing of air in the lower atmosphere influences the concentration of air pollutants and greenhouse gases. Our study developed a new method, Deep-Pathfinder, to estimate mixing layer height. Deep-Pathfinder analyses imagery with aerosol observations using artificial intelligence techniques for computer vision. Compared to existing methods, it improves temporal consistency and resolution and can be used in real time, which is valuable for aviation, forecasting, and air quality monitoring.
Liang Chang, Jing Li, Jingjing Ren, Changrui Xiong, and Lu Zhang
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 2637–2648, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2637-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2637-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We described a modified lidar inversion algorithm to retrieve aerosol extinction and size distribution simultaneously from two-wavelength elastic lidar measurements. Its major advantage is that the lidar ratio of each layer is determined iteratively by a lidar ratio–Ångström exponent lookup table. The algorithm was applied to the Raman lidar and CALIOP measurements. The retrieved results by our method are in good agreement with those achieved by Raman method.
Zihao Yuan, Guangliang Fu, Bastiaan van Diedenhoven, Hai Xiang Lin, Jan Willem Erisman, and Otto P. Hasekamp
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 2595–2610, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2595-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2595-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Currently, aerosol properties from spaceborne multi-angle polarimeter (MAP) instruments can only be retrieved in cloud-free areas or in areas where an aerosol layer is located above a cloud. Therefore, it is important to be able to identify cloud-free pixels for which an aerosol retrieval algorithm can provide meaningful output. The developed neural network cloud screening demonstrates that cloud masking for MAP aerosol retrieval can be based on the MAP measurements themselves.
Nicholas Ernest, Larry W. Thomason, and Terry Deshler
Atmos. Meas. Tech. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2024-62, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2024-62, 2024
Revised manuscript accepted for AMT
Short summary
Short summary
We use balloon-borne measurements of aerosol size distribution (ASD) made by the University of Wyoming (UW) to derive distributions which are representative of the ASDs that underlie measurements made by the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment II (SAGE II). A simple single mode log-normal distribution has in the past been used to derive ASD from SAGE II data; here we derive bimodal log-normal distributions. Reproducing median aerosol properties, however sometimes with wide variance.
Hiren T. Jethva, Omar Torres, Richard A. Ferrare, Sharon P. Burton, Anthony L. Cook, David B. Harper, Chris A. Hostetler, Jens Redemann, Vinay Kayetha, Samuel LeBlanc, Kristina Pistone, Logan Mitchell, and Connor J. Flynn
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 2335–2366, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2335-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2335-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We introduce a novel synergy algorithm applied to ORALCES airborne measurements of above-cloud aerosol optical depth and UV–Vis satellite observations from OMI and MODIS to retrieve spectral aerosol single-scattering albedo of lofted layers of carbonaceous smoke aerosols over clouds. The development of the proposed aerosol–cloud algorithm implies a possible synergy of CALIOP and OMI–MODIS passive sensors to deduce a global product of AOD and SSA of absorbing aerosols above clouds.
Travis N. Knepp, Mahesh Kovilakam, Larry Thomason, and Stephen J. Miller
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 2025–2054, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2025-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2025-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
An algorithm is presented to derive a new SAGE III/ISS (Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment III on the International Space Station) Level-2 product: the size distribution of stratospheric particles. This is a significant improvement over previous techniques in that we now provide uncertainty estimates for all inferred parameters. We also evaluated the stability of this method in retrieving bimodal distribution parameters. We present a special application to the 2022 eruption of Hunga Tonga.
Mijin Kim, Robert C. Levy, Lorraine A. Remer, Shana Mattoo, and Pawan Gupta
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 1913–1939, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1913-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1913-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The study focused on evaluating and modifying the surface reflectance parameterization (SRP) of the Dark Target (DT) algorithm for geostationary observation. When using the DT SRP with the ABIs sensor on GOES-R, artificial diurnal signatures were present in AOD retrieval. To overcome this issue, a new SRP was developed, incorporating solar zenith angle and land cover type. The revised SRP resulted in improved AOD retrieval, demonstrating reduced bias around local noon.
Guangyao Dai, Songhua Wu, Wenrui Long, Jiqiao Liu, Yuan Xie, Kangwen Sun, Fanqian Meng, Xiaoquan Song, Zhongwei Huang, and Weibiao Chen
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 1879–1890, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1879-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1879-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
An overview is given of the main algorithms applied to derive the aerosol and cloud optical property product of the Aerosol and Carbon Detection Lidar (ACDL), which is capable of globally profiling aerosol and cloud optical properties with high accuracy. The paper demonstrates the observational capabilities of ACDL for aerosol and cloud vertical structure and global distribution through two optical property product measurement cases and global aerosol optical depth profile observations.
Igor Veselovskii, Qiaoyun Hu, Philippe Goloub, Thierry Podvin, William Boissiere, Mikhail Korenskiy, Nikita Kasianik, Sergey Khaykyn, and Robin Miri
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 1023–1036, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1023-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1023-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Measurements of transported smoke layers were performed with a lidar in Lille and a five-channel fluorescence lidar in Moscow. Results show the peak of fluorescence in the boundary layer is at 438 nm, while in the smoke layer it shifts to longer wavelengths. The fluorescence depolarization is 45 % to 55 %. The depolarization ratio of the water vapor channel is low (2 ± 0.5 %) in the absence of fluorescence and can be used to evaluate the contribution of fluorescence to water vapor signal.
Viet Le, Hannah Lobo, Ewan J. O'Connor, and Ville Vakkari
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 921–941, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-921-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-921-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study offers a long-term overview of aerosol particle depolarization ratio at the wavelength of 1565 nm obtained from vertical profiling measurements by Halo Doppler lidars during 4 years at four different locations across Finland. Our observations support the long-term usage of Halo Doppler lidar depolarization ratio such as the detection of aerosols that may pose a safety risk for aviation. Long-range Saharan dust transport and pollen transport are also showcased here.
Athena Augusta Floutsi, Holger Baars, and Ulla Wandinger
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 693–714, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-693-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-693-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We introduce an aerosol-typing scheme (HETEAC-Flex) based on lidar-derived intensive optical properties and applicable to ground-based and spaceborne lidars. HETEAC-Flex utilizes the optimal estimation method and enables the identification of up to four different aerosol components, as well as the determination of their contribution to the aerosol mixture in terms of relative volume. The aerosol components represent common aerosol types such as dust, sea salt, smoke and pollution.
James A. Limbacher, Ralph A. Kahn, Mariel D. Friberg, Jaehwa Lee, Tyler Summers, and Hai Zhang
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 471–498, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-471-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-471-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We present the new Multi-Angle Geostationary Aerosol Retrieval Algorithm (MAGARA) that fuses observations from GOES-16 and GOES-17 to retrieve information about aerosol loading (at 10–15 min cadence) and aerosol particle properties (daily), all at pixel-level resolution. We present MAGARA results for three case studies: the 2018 California Camp Fire, the 2019 Williams Flats Fire, and the 2019 Kincade Fire. We also compare MAGARA aerosol loading and particle properties with AERONET.
Juseon Shin, Gahyeong Kim, Dukhyeon Kim, Matthias Tesche, Gahyeon Park, and Youngmin Noh
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 397–406, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-397-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-397-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We introduce the multi-section method, a novel approach for stable extinction coefficient retrievals in horizontally scanning aerosol lidar measurements, in this study. Our method effectively removes signal–noise-induced irregular peaks and derives a reference extinction coefficient, αref, from multiple scans, resulting in a strong correlation (>0.74) with PM2.5 mass concentrations. Case studies demonstrate its utility in retrieving spatio-temporal aerosol distributions and PM2.5 concentrations.
Basudev Swain, Marco Vountas, Adrien Deroubaix, Luca Lelli, Yanick Ziegler, Soheila Jafariserajehlou, Sachin S. Gunthe, Andreas Herber, Christoph Ritter, Hartmut Bösch, and John P. Burrows
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 359–375, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-359-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-359-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosols are suspensions of particles dispersed in the air. In this study, we use a novel retrieval of satellite data to investigate an optical property of aerosols, the aerosol optical depth, in the high Arctic to assess their direct and indirect roles in climate change. This study demonstrates that the presented approach shows good quality and very promising potential.
Gabriel Calassou, Pierre-Yves Foucher, and Jean-François Léon
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 57–71, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-57-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-57-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We propose analyzing the aerosol composition of plumes emitted by different industrial stacks using PRISMA satellite hyperspectral observations. Three industrial sites have been observed: a coal-fired power plant in South Africa, a steel plant in China, and gas flaring at an oil extraction site in Algeria. Aerosol optical thickness and particle radius are retrieved within the plumes. The mass flow rate of particulate matter is estimated in the plume using the integrated mass enhancement method.
Zihan Zhang, Guangliang Fu, and Otto Hasekamp
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 6051–6063, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-6051-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-6051-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
In order to conduct accurate aerosol retrieval over snow, the Remote Sensing of Trace Gases and Aerosol Products (RemoTAP) algorithm is extended with a bi-directional reflection distribution function for snow surfaces. The experiments with both synthetic and real data show that the extended RemoTAP maintains capability for snow-free pixels and has obvious advantages in accuracy and the fraction of successful retrievals for retrieval over snow, especially over surfaces with snow cover > 75 %.
Alexandra Tsekeri, Anna Gialitaki, Marco Di Paolantonio, Davide Dionisi, Gian Luigi Liberti, Alnilam Fernandes, Artur Szkop, Aleksander Pietruczuk, Daniel Pérez-Ramírez, Maria J. Granados Muñoz, Juan Luis Guerrero-Rascado, Lucas Alados-Arboledas, Diego Bermejo Pantaleón, Juan Antonio Bravo-Aranda, Anna Kampouri, Eleni Marinou, Vassilis Amiridis, Michael Sicard, Adolfo Comerón, Constantino Muñoz-Porcar, Alejandro Rodríguez-Gómez, Salvatore Romano, Maria Rita Perrone, Xiaoxia Shang, Mika Komppula, Rodanthi-Elisavet Mamouri, Argyro Nisantzi, Diofantos Hadjimitsis, Francisco Navas-Guzmán, Alexander Haefele, Dominika Szczepanik, Artur Tomczak, Iwona S. Stachlewska, Livio Belegante, Doina Nicolae, Kalliopi Artemis Voudouri, Dimitris Balis, Athena A. Floutsi, Holger Baars, Linda Miladi, Nicolas Pascal, Oleg Dubovik, and Anton Lopatin
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 6025–6050, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-6025-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-6025-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
EARLINET/ACTRIS organized an intensive observational campaign in May 2020, with the objective of monitoring the atmospheric state over Europe during the COVID-19 lockdown and relaxation period. The work presented herein focuses on deriving a common methodology for applying a synergistic retrieval that utilizes the network's ground-based passive and active remote sensing measurements and deriving the aerosols from anthropogenic activities over Europe.
Meng Gao, Bryan A. Franz, Peng-Wang Zhai, Kirk Knobelspiesse, Andrew M. Sayer, Xiaoguang Xu, J. Vanderlei Martins, Brian Cairns, Patricia Castellanos, Guangliang Fu, Neranga Hannadige, Otto Hasekamp, Yongxiang Hu, Amir Ibrahim, Frederick Patt, Anin Puthukkudy, and P. Jeremy Werdell
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 5863–5881, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5863-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5863-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This study evaluated the retrievability and uncertainty of aerosol and ocean properties from PACE's HARP2 instrument using enhanced neural network models with the FastMAPOL algorithm. A cascading retrieval method is developed to improve retrieval performance. A global set of simulated HARP2 data is generated and used for uncertainty evaluations. The performance assessment demonstrates that the FastMAPOL algorithm is a viable approach for operational application to HARP2 data after PACE launch.
Vasiliki Daskalopoulou, Panagiotis I. Raptis, Alexandra Tsekeri, Vassilis Amiridis, Stelios Kazadzis, Zbigniew Ulanowski, Vassilis Charmandaris, Konstantinos Tassis, and William Martin
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 4529–4550, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4529-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4529-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Atmospheric dust particles may present a preferential alignment due to their shape on long range transport. Since dust is abundant and plays a key role to global climate, the elusive observation of orientation will be a game changer to existing measurement techniques and the representation of particles in climate models. We utilize a specifically designed instrument, SolPol, and target the Sun from the ground for large polarization values under dusty conditions, a clear sign of orientation.
Sara Herrero-Anta, Roberto Román, David Mateos, Ramiro González, Juan Carlos Antuña-Sánchez, Marcos Herreras-Giralda, Antonio Fernando Almansa, Daniel González-Fernández, Celia Herrero del Barrio, Carlos Toledano, Victoria E. Cachorro, and Ángel M. de Frutos
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 4423–4443, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4423-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4423-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This paper shows the potential of a simple radiometer like the ZEN-R52 as a possible alternative for aerosol property retrieval in remote areas. A calibration method based on radiative transfer simulations together with an inversion methodology using the GRASP code is proposed here. The results demonstrate that this methodology is useful for the retrieval of aerosol extensive properties like aerosol optical depth (AOD) and aerosol volume concentration for total, fine and coarse modes.
Xi Chen, Ting Yang, Zifa Wang, Futing Wang, and Haibo Wang
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 4289–4302, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4289-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4289-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Uncertainties remain great in the planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) determination from radiosonde, especially during the transition period of different PBL regimes. We combine seven existing methods along with statistical modification on gradient-based methods. We find that the ensemble method can eliminate the overestimation of PBLH and reduce the inconsistency between individual methods. The ensemble method improves the effectiveness of PBLH determination to 62.6 %.
Seyed Ali Sayedain, Norman T. O'Neill, James King, Patrick L. Hayes, Daniel Bellamy, Richard Washington, Sebastian Engelstaedter, Andy Vicente-Luis, Jill Bachelder, and Malo Bernhard
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 4115–4135, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4115-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4115-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We used (columnar) ground-based remote sensing (RS) tools and surface measurements to characterize local (drainage-basin) dust plumes at a site in the Yukon. Plume height, particle size, and column-to-surface ratios enabled insights into how satellite RS could be used to analyze Arctic-wide dust transport. This helps modelers refine dust impacts in their climate change simulations. It is an important step since local dust is a key source of dust deposition on snow in the sensitive Arctic region.
Ulla Wandinger, Moritz Haarig, Holger Baars, David Donovan, and Gerd-Jan van Zadelhoff
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 4031–4052, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4031-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4031-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We introduce the algorithms that have been developed to derive cloud top height and aerosol layer products from observations with the Atmospheric Lidar (ATLID) onboard the Earth Cloud, Aerosol and Radiation Explorer (EarthCARE). The products provide information on the uppermost cloud and geometrical and optical properties of aerosol layers in an atmospheric column. They can be used individually but also serve as input for algorithms that combine observations with EarthCARE’s lidar and imager.
Cited articles
Anderson, G., Clough, S., Kneizys, F., Chetwynd, J., and Shettle, E.: AFGL atmospheric constituent profiles (0–120 km), Tech. Rep. AFGL-TR-86-0110, Air Force Geophys. Lab., Hanscom Air Force Base, Bedford, Mass., 1986.
Bugliaro, L., Zinner, T., Keil, C., Mayer, B., Hollmann, R., Reuter, M., and Thomas, W.: Validation of cloud property retrievals with simulated satellite radiances: a case study for SEVIRI, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 5603–5624, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-11-5603-2011, 2011.
Buras, R. and Mayer, B.: Efficient unbiased variance reduction techniques for Monte Carlo simulations of radiative transfer in cloudy atmospheres: The solution, J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transfer, 112, 434–447, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jqsrt.2010.10.005, 2011.
Casadevall, T. J.: The 1989–1990 eruption of Redoubt Volcano, Alaska, impacts on aircraft operations, J. Volcanol. Geoth. Res., 62, 301–316, 1994.
Clarisse, L., Prata, F., Lacour, J. L., Hurtmans, D., Clerbaux, C., and Coheur, P. F.: A correlation method for volcanic ash detection using hyperspectral infrared measurements, Geophys. Res. Lett., 37, L19806, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010GL044828, 2010.
Clarisse, L., Coheur, P. F., Prata, Hadji-Lazaro, J., Hurtmans, D., and Clerbaux, C.: A unified approach to infrared aerosol remote sensing and type specification, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 2195–2221, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-2195-2013, 2013.
Corradini, S., Spinette, C., Carboni, E., Tirelli, C., Buongiorno, M. F., Pugnaghi, S., and Gangale, G.: Mt. Etna tropospheric ash retrieval and sensitivity analysis using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer Measurements, J. Appl. Remote Sens., 2, 023550, https://doi.org/10.1117/1.3046674, 2008.
Emde, C., Buras, R., Mayer, B., and Blumthaler, M.: The impact of aerosols on polarized sky radiance: model development, validation, and applications, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10, 383–396, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-10-383-2010, 2010.
Francis, P. N., Cooke, M. C., and Saunders, R. W.: Retrieval of physical properties of volcanic ash using Meteosat: a case study from the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption, J. Geophys. Res., 117, D00U09, https://doi.org/10.1029/2011JD016788, 2012.
Gangale, G., Prata, A. J., and Clarisse, L.: The infrared spectral signature of volcanic ash determined from high-spectral resolution satellite measurements, Remote Sens. Environ., 114, 414–425, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2009.09.007, 2010.
Gasteiger, J., Emde, C., Mayer, B., Buras, R., Buehler, S., and Lemke, O.: Representative wavelengths absorption parameterization applied to satellite channels and spectral bands, J. Quant. Spectrosc. Ra., 148, 99–115, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jqsrt.2014.06.024, 2014.
Grainger, R. G., Peters, D. M., Thomas, G. E., Smith, A. J. A., Siddans, R., Carboni, E., and Dudhia, A.: Measuring volcanic plume and ash properties from space, Geol. Soc. Spec. Publ., 380, 293–320, https://doi.org/10.1144/SP380.7, 2013.
Gu, Y., Rose, W, I., Schneider, D. J., Bluth, G. J. S., and Watson, I. M.: Advantageous GOES IR results for ash mapping at high latitudes: Cleveland eruptions 2001, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, https://doi.org/10.1029/2004GL021651, 2005.
International Air Carrier Association (IACA): Volcanic Ash – flying into areas of known or forecasted volcanic ash contamination, available at: http://www.iaca.be/php/issues/index.php?doc_id=3688 (last access: 13 November 2014), 2010.
Jonkheid, B. J., Roebeling, R. A., and van Meijgaard, E.: A fast SEVIRI simulator for quantifying retrieval uncertainties in the CM SAF cloud physical property algorithm, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 12, 10957–10969, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-12-10957-2012, 2012.
Kristiansen, N. I., Stohl, A., Prata, A. J., Bukowiecki, N., Dacre, H., Eckhardt, S., Henne, S., Hort, M. C., Johnson, B. T., Marenco, F., Neininger, B., Reitebuch, O., Seibert, P., Thomson, D. J., Webster, H. N., and Weinzierl, B.: Performance assessment of volcanic ash transport model mini-ensemble used for inverse modeling of the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption, J. Geophys. Res., 117, D00U11, https://doi.org/10.1029/2011JD016844, 2012.
Kylling, A., Buras, R., Eckhardt, S., Emde, C., Mayer, B., and Stohl, A.: Simulation of SEVIRI infrared channels: a case study from the Eyjafjallajökull April/May 2010 eruption, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 6, 649–660, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-6-649-2013, 2013.
Kylling, A., Kahnert, M., Lindqvist, H., and Nousiainen, T.: Volcanic ash infrared signature: porous non-spherical ash particle shapes compared to homogeneous spherical ash particles, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 7, 919–929, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-7-919-2014, 2014.
Mackie, S., and Watson, M.: Probabilistic detection of volcanic ash using a Bayesian approach, J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 119, 2409–2428, https://doi.org/10.1002/2013JD021077, 2014.
Mayer, B. and Kylling, A.: Technical note: The libRadtran software package for radiative transfer calculations – description and examples of use, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 5, 1855–1877, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-5-1855-2005, 2005.
Mayer, B., Hoch, S. W., and Whiteman, C. D.: Validating the MYSTIC three-dimensional radiative transfer model with observations from the complex topography of Arizona's Meteor Crater, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10, 8685–8696, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-10-8685-2010, 2010.
Millington, S. C., Saunders, R. W., Francis, P. N., and Webster, H. N.: Simulated volcanic ash imagery: A method to compare NAME ash concentration forecasts with SEVIRI imagery for the Eyjafjallajökull eruption in 2010, J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 10, 8685–8696, https://doi.org/10.1029/2011JD016770, 2012.
Moxnes, E. D., Kristiansen, N. I., Stohl, A., Clarisse, L., Durant, A., Weber, K., and Vogel, A.: Separation of ash and sulfur dioxide during the 2011 Grímsvötn eruption, J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 7477–7501, https://doi.org/10.1002/2013JD021129, 2014.
Naeger, A. R. and Christopher, S. A.: The identification and tracking of volcanic ash using the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI), Atmos. Meas. Tech., 7, 581–597, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-7-581-2014, 2014.
Pavolonis, M. J., Feltz, W. F., A. K. Heidinger, and Gallina, G. M.: A daytime complement to the reverse absorption technique for improved automated detection volcanic ash, J. Atmos. Ocean. Technol., 23, 1422–1444, 2006.
Pavolonis, M. J.: Advances in extracting cloud composition information from spaceborne infrared radiances – a robust alternative to brightness temperatures, Part I: Theory, J. Appl. Meteorol. Climatol., 19, 1992–2012, 2010.
Pavolonis, M. J., A. K. Heidinger, and Sieglaff, J.: Automated retrievals of volcanic ash and dust cloud properties from upwelling infrared measurements, J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 118, 1436–1458, https://doi.org/10.1002/jgrd.50173, 2013.
Pierluissi, J. H. and Peng, G.-S.: New molecular transmission band models for LOWTRAN, Opt. Engineer., 24, 541–547, 1985.
Platt, C. M. R. and Prata, A. J.: Nocturnal effects in the retrieval of land surface temperatures from satellite measurements, Remote Sens. Environ., 45, 127–136, 1993.
Pollack, J. B., Toon, O. B., and Khare, B. N.: Optical properties of some terrestrial rocks and glasses, ICARUS, 19, 372–389, 1973.
Prata, A. J.: Infrared radiative transfer calculations for volcanic ash clouds, Geophys. Res. Lett., 16, 1293–1296, 1989.
Prata, A. J. and Grant, I. F.: Retrieval of microphysical and morphological properties of volcanic ash plumes from satellite data: Application to Mt Ruapehu, New Zealand, Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc., 127, 2153–2179, 2001.
Prata, A. J. and Prata, A. T.: Eyjafjallajökull volcanic ash concentrations determined using Spin Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager measurements, J. Geophys. Res., 117, D00U23, https://doi.org/10.1029/2011JD016800, 2012.
Ricchiazzi, P., Yang, S., Gautier, C., and Sowle, D.: SBDART: A research and Teaching software tool for plane-parallel radiative transfer in the Earth's atmosphere, Bull. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 79, 2101–2114, 1998.
Robock, A.: Volcanic eruptions and climate, Rev. Geophys., 138, 191–219, 2000.
Schmetz, J., Pili, P., Tjemkes, S., Just, D., Kerkmann, J., Rota, S., and Ratier, A.: Supplement to An Introduction to Meteosat Second Generation (MSG), Radiometric performance of SEVIRI, Bull. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 83, 991–991, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-83-7-Schmetz-1, 2002.
Seemann, S. W., Borbas, E. E., Knuteson, R. O., Stephenson, G. R., and Huang, H.-L.: Development of a Global Infrared Land Surface Emissivity Database for Application to Clear Sky Sounding Retrievals from Multispectral Satellite Radiance Measurements, J. Appl. Meteorol. Climatol., 47, 108–123, https://doi.org/10.1175/2007JAMC1590.1, 2008.
Stamnes, K., Tsay, S.-C., Wiscombe, W., and Jayaweera, K.: Numerically stable algorithm for discrete–ordinate–method radiative transfer in multiple scattering and emitting layered media, Appl. Opt., 27, 2502–2509, 1988.
Stevenson, J. A., Millington, S. C., Beckett, F. M., Swindles, G. T., and Thordarson, T.: Big grains go far: reconciling tephrochronology with atmospheric measurements of volcanic ash, Atmos. Meas. Tech. Discuss., 8, 65–120, https://doi.org/10.5194/amtd-8-65-2015, 2015.
Stohl, A., Hittenberger, M., and Wotawa, G.: Validation of the Lagrangian particle dispersion model FLEXPART against large scale tracer experiment data, Atmos. Environ., 32, 4245–4264, 1998.
Stohl, A., Forster, C., Frank, A., Seibert, P., and Wotawa, G.: Technical note: The Lagrangian particle dispersion model FLEXPART version 6.2, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 5, 2461–2474, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-5-2461-2005, 2005.
Stohl, A., Prata, A. J., Eckhardt, S., Clarisse, L., Durant, A., Henne, S., Kristiansen, N. I., Minikin, A., Schumann, U., Seibert, P., Stebel, K., Thomas, H. E., Thorsteinsson, T., Tørseth, K., and Weinzierl, B.: Determination of time- and height-resolved volcanic ash emissions and their use for quantitative ash dispersion modeling: the 2010 Eyjafjallajókull eruption, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 4333–4351, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-11-4333-2011, 2011.
Timmreck, C.: Modeling the climatic effects of large explosive volcanic eruptions, Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, 3, 545–564, https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.192, 2012.
Wen, S. and Rose, W. I.: Retrieval of sizes and total masses of particles in volcanic clouds using AVHRR bands 4 and 5, J. Geophys. Res., 99, 5421–5431, 1994.
Wind, G., da Silva, A. M., Norris, P. M., and Platnick, S.: Multi-sensor cloud retrieval simulator and remote sensing from model parameters – Part 1: Synthetic sensor radiance formulation, Geosci. Model Dev., 6, 2049–2062, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-6-2049-2013, 2013.
Yu, T., Rose, W. I., and Prata, A. J.: Atmospheric correction for satellite-based volcanic ash mapping and retrievals using "split window" IR data from GOES and AVHRR, J. Geophys. Res., 107, https://doi.org/10.1029/2001JD000706, 2002.
Short summary
Water and ice clouds affect detection and retrieval of volcanic ash clouds by satellite instruments. Synthetic infrared satellite images were generated for the Eyjafjallajokull 2010 and Grimsvotn 2011 eruptions by combining weather forecast, ash transport and radiative transfer modelling. Clouds decreased the number of pixels identified as ash and generally increased the retrieved ash-mass loading compared to the cloudless case; however, large differences were seen between scenes.
Water and ice clouds affect detection and retrieval of volcanic ash clouds by satellite...
