Retrieval of Aerosol Scattering and Absorption Properties from Photopolarimetric Observations over the Ocean during the CLAMS Experiment

2005 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 1093-1117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacek Chowdhary ◽  
Brian Cairns ◽  
Michael I. Mishchenko ◽  
Peter V. Hobbs ◽  
Glenn F. Cota ◽  
...  

Abstract The extensive set of measurements performed during the Chesapeake Lighthouse and Aircraft Measurements for Satellites (CLAMS) experiment provides a unique opportunity to evaluate aerosol retrievals over the ocean from multiangle, multispectral photometric, and polarimetric remote sensing observations by the airborne Research Scanning Polarimeter (RSP) instrument. Previous studies have shown the feasibility of retrieving particle size distributions and real refractive indices from such observations for visible wavelengths without prior knowledge of the ocean color. This work evaluates the fidelity of the aerosol retrievals using RSP measurements during the CLAMS experiment against aerosol properties derived from in situ measurements, sky radiance observations, and sun-photometer measurements, and further extends the scope of the RSP retrievals by using a priori information about the ocean color to constrain the aerosol absorption and vertical distribution. It is shown that the fine component of the aerosol observed on 17 July 2001 consisted predominantly of dirty sulfatelike particles with an extinction optical thickness of several tenths in the visible, an effective radius of 0.15 ± 0.025 μm and a single scattering albedo of 0.91 ± 0.03 at 550 nm. Analyses of the ocean color and sky radiance observations favor the lower boundary of aerosol single scattering albedo, while in situ measurements favor its upper boundary. Both analyses support the polarimetric retrievals of fine-aerosol effective radius and the consequent spectral variation in extinction optical depth. The estimated vertical distribution of this aerosol component depends on assumptions regarding the water-leaving radiances and is consistent with the top of the aerosol layer being close to the aircraft height (3500 m), with the bottom of the layer being between 2.7 km and the surface. The aerosol observed on 17 July 2001 also contained coarse-mode particles. Comparison of RSP data with sky radiance and in situ measurements suggests that this component consists of nonspherical particles with an effective radius in excess of 1 μm, and with the extinction optical depth being much less than one-tenth at 550 nm.

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (9) ◽  
pp. 6041-6072 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisabeth Andrews ◽  
John A. Ogren ◽  
Stefan Kinne ◽  
Bjorn Samset

Abstract. Here we present new results comparing aerosol optical depth (AOD), aerosol absorption optical depth (AAOD) and column single scattering albedo (SSA) obtained from in situ vertical profile measurements with AERONET ground-based remote sensing from two rural, continental sites in the US. The profiles are closely matched in time (within ±3 h) and space (within 15 km) with the AERONET retrievals. We have used Level 1.5 inversion retrievals when there was a valid Level 2 almucantar retrieval in order to be able to compare AAOD and column SSA below AERONET's recommended loading constraint (AOD > 0.4 at 440 nm). While there is reasonable agreement for the AOD comparisons, the direct comparisons of in situ-derived to AERONET-retrieved AAOD (or SSA) reveal that AERONET retrievals yield higher aerosol absorption than obtained from the in situ profiles for the low aerosol optical depth conditions prevalent at the two study sites. However, it should be noted that the majority of SSA comparisons for AOD440 > 0.2 are, nonetheless, within the reported SSA uncertainty bounds. The observation that, relative to in situ measurements, AERONET inversions exhibit increased absorption potential at low AOD values is generally consistent with other published AERONET–in situ comparisons across a range of locations, atmospheric conditions and AOD values. This systematic difference in the comparisons suggests a bias in one or both of the methods, but we cannot assess whether the AERONET retrievals are biased towards high absorption or the in situ measurements are biased low. Based on the discrepancy between the AERONET and in situ values, we conclude that scaling modeled black carbon concentrations upwards to match AERONET retrievals of AAOD should be approached with caution as it may lead to aerosol absorption overestimates in regions of low AOD. Both AERONET retrievals and in situ measurements suggest there is a systematic relationship between SSA and aerosol amount (AOD or aerosol light scattering) – specifically that SSA decreases at lower aerosol loading. This implies that the fairly common assumption that AERONET SSA values retrieved at high-AOD conditions can be used to obtain AAOD at low-AOD conditions may not be valid.


2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 901-919 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.-C. Raut ◽  
P. Chazette

Abstract. A synergy between lidar, sunphotometer and in situ measurements has been applied to airborne observations performed during the Etude et Simulation de la QUalité de l'air en Ile-de-France (ESQUIF), enabling the retrieval of vertical profiles for the aerosol complex refractive index (ACRI) and single-scattering albedo with a vertical resolution of 200 m over Paris area. The averaged value over the entire planetary boundary layer (PBL) for the ACRI is close to 1.51(±0.02)–i0.017(±0.003) at 532 nm. The single-scattering albedo of the corresponding aerosols is found to be ~0.9 at the same wavelength. A good agreement is found with previous studies for urban aerosols. A comparison of vertical profiles of ACRI with simulations combining in situ measurements and relative humidity (RH) profiles has highlighted a modification in aerosol optical properties linked to their history and the origin of the air mass. The determination of ACRI in the atmospheric column enabled to retrieve vertical profiles of extinction coefficient in accordance with lidar profiles measurements.


2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 10799-10835 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.-C. Raut ◽  
P. Chazette

Abstract. A synergy between lidar, sunphotometer and in situ measurements has been applied to airborne observations performed during the Etude et Simulation de la QUalité de l'air en Ile-de-France (ESQUIF), enabling the retrieval of vertical profiles for the aerosol complex refractive index (ACRI) and single-scattering albedo with a vertical resolution of 200 m over Paris area. The averaged value over the entire planetary boundary layer (PBL) for the ACRI is close to 1.51(±0.02)–i0.017(±0.003) at 532 nm. The single-scattering albedo of the corresponding aerosols is found to be ~0.9 at the same wavelength. A good agreement is found with previous studies for urban aerosols. A comparison of vertical profiles of ACRI with simulations combining in situ measurements and relative humidity (RH) profiles has highlighted a modification in aerosol optical properties linked to their history and the origin of the air mass. The determination of ACRI in the atmospheric column enabled to retrieve vertical profiles of extinction coefficient in accordance with lidar profiles measurements.


2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 2161-2182 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Montilla ◽  
S. Mogo ◽  
V. Cachorro ◽  
J. Lopez ◽  
A. de Frutos

Abstract. In situ measurements of aerosol optical properties were made in summer 2008 at the ALOMAR station facility (69°16 N, 16°00 E), located at a rural site in the North of the island of Andøya (Vesterålen archipelago), about 300 km north of the Arctic Circle. The extended three months campaign was part of the POLAR-CAT Project of the International Polar Year (IPY-2007-2008), and its goal was to characterize the aerosols of this sub-Arctic area which frequently transporte to the Arctic region. The ambient light-scattering coefficient, σs(550 nm), at ALOMAR had a hourly mean value of 5.412 Mm−1 (StD = 3.545 Mm−1) and the light-absorption coefficient, σa(550 nm), had an hourly mean value of 0.400 Mm−1 (StD = 0.273 Mm−1). The scattering/absorption Ångström exponents, αs,a, are used for detailed analysis of the variations of the spectral shape of σs,a. The single scattering albedo, &omega0, ranges from 0.622 to 0.985 (mean = 0.913, StD = 0.052) and the relation of this property to the absorption/scattering coefficients and the Ångström exponents is presented. The relationships between all the parameters analyzed, mainly those related to the single scattering albedo, allow us to describe the local atmosphere as extremely clean.


2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 1539-1555 ◽  
Author(s):  
James A. Limbacher ◽  
Ralph A. Kahn

Abstract. As aerosol amount and type are key factors in the atmospheric correction required for remote-sensing chlorophyll a concentration (Chl) retrievals, the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) can contribute to ocean color analysis despite a lack of spectral channels optimized for this application. Conversely, an improved ocean surface constraint should also improve MISR aerosol-type products, especially spectral single-scattering albedo (SSA) retrievals. We introduce a coupled, self-consistent retrieval of Chl together with aerosol over dark water. There are time-varying MISR radiometric calibration errors that significantly affect key spectral reflectance ratios used in the retrievals. Therefore, we also develop and apply new calibration corrections to the MISR top-of-atmosphere (TOA) reflectance data, based on comparisons with coincident MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) observations and trend analysis of the MISR TOA bidirectional reflectance factors (BRFs) over three pseudo-invariant desert sites. We run the MISR research retrieval algorithm (RA) with the corrected MISR reflectances to generate MISR-retrieved Chl and compare the MISR Chl values to a set of 49 coincident SeaBASS (SeaWiFS Bio-optical Archive and Storage System) in situ observations. Where Chlin situ < 1.5 mg m−3, the results from our Chl model are expected to be of highest quality, due to algorithmic assumption validity. Comparing MISR RA Chl to the 49 coincident SeaBASS observations, we report a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.86, a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 0.25, and a median absolute error (MAE) of 0.10. Statistically, a two-sample Kolmogorov–Smirnov test indicates that it is not possible to distinguish between MISR Chl and available SeaBASS in situ Chl values (p > 0.1). We also compare MODIS–Terra and MISR RA Chl statistically, over much broader regions. With about 1.5 million MISR–MODIS collocations having MODIS Chl < 1.5 mg m−3, MISR and MODIS show very good agreement: r = 0. 96, MAE  =  0.09, and RMSE  =  0.15. The new dark water aerosol/Chl RA can retrieve Chl in low-Chl, case I waters, independent of other imagers such as MODIS, via a largely physical algorithm, compared to the commonly applied statistical ones. At a minimum, MISR's multi-angle data should help reduce uncertainties in the MODIS–Terra ocean color retrieval where coincident measurements are made, while also allowing for a more robust retrieval of particle properties such as spectral single-scattering albedo.


2006 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 1082-1092 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. K. Satheesh ◽  
J. Srinivasan

Abstract Radiative forcing of aerosols is much more difficult to estimate than that of well-mixed gases due to the large spatial variability of aerosols and the lack of an adequate database on their radiative properties. Estimation of aerosol radiative forcing generally requires knowledge of its chemical composition, which is sparse. Ground-based sky radiance measurements [e.g., aerosol robotic network (AERONET)] can provide key parameters such as the single-scattering albedo, but in shipborne experiments over the ocean it is difficult to make sky radiance measurements and hence these experiments cannot provide parameters such as the single-scattering albedo. However, aerosol spectral optical depth data (cruise based as well as satellite retrieved) are available quite extensively over the ocean. Spectral optical depth measurements have been available since the 1970s, and spectral turbidity measurements (carried out at meteorological departments all over the world) have been available for several decades, while long-term continuous chemical composition information is not available. A new method to differentiate between scattering and absorbing aerosols is proposed here. This can be used to derive simple aerosol models that are optically equivalent and can simulate the observed aerosol optical properties and radiative fluxes, from spectral optical depth measurements. Thus, aerosol single-scattering albedo and, hence, aerosol radiative forcing can be estimated. Note that the proposed method is to estimate clear-sky aerosol radiative forcing (over regions where chemical composition data or sky radiance data are not available) and not to infer its exact chemical composition. Using several independent datasets from field experiments, it is demonstrated that the proposed method can be used to estimate aerosol radiative forcing (from spectral optical depths) with an accuracy of ±2 W m−2.


2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (10) ◽  
pp. 2659-2669 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Bayat ◽  
H. R. Khalesifard ◽  
A. Masoumi

Abstract. The polarized phase function of atmospheric aerosols has been investigated for the atmosphere of Zanjan, a city in northwest Iran. To do this, aerosol optical depth, Ångström exponent, single-scattering albedo, and polarized phase function have been retrieved from the measurements of a Cimel CE 318-2 polarized sun-photometer from February 2010 to December 2012. The results show that the maximum value of aerosol polarized phase function as well as the polarized phase function retrieved for a specific scattering angle (i.e., 60°) are strongly correlated (R = 0.95 and 0.95, respectively) with the Ångström exponent. The latter has a meaningful variation with respect to the changes in the complex refractive index of the atmospheric aerosols. Furthermore the polarized phase function shows a moderate negative correlation with respect to the atmospheric aerosol optical depth and single-scattering albedo (R = −0.76 and −0.33, respectively). Therefore the polarized phase function can be regarded as a key parameter to characterize the atmospheric particles of the region – a populated city in the semi-arid area and surrounded by some dust sources of the Earth's dust belt.


Author(s):  
S. Talebi ◽  
J. Shi ◽  
T. Zhao

This paper presents a theoretical study of derivation Microwave Vegetation Indices (MVIs) in different pairs of frequencies using two methods. In the first method calculating MVI in different frequencies based on Matrix Doubling Model (to take in to account multi scattering effects) has been done and analyzed in various soil properties. The second method was based on MVI theoretical basis and its independency to underlying soil surface signals. Comparing the results from two methods with vegetation properties (single scattering albedo and optical depth) indicated partial correlation between MVI from first method and optical depth, and full correlation between MVI from second method and vegetation properties. The second method to derive MVI can be used widely in global microwave vegetation monitoring.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohanan R. Manoj ◽  
Sreedharan K. Satheesh ◽  
Krishnaswamy K. Moorthy ◽  
Hugh Coe

Abstract. Vertical structures of aerosol single scattering albedo (SSA), from near the surface through the free troposphere, have been estimated for the first time at distinct geographical locations over the Indian mainland and adjoining oceans, using in-situ measurements of aerosol scattering and absorption coefficients aboard the FAAM BAe-146 aircraft during the South West Asian Aerosol Monsoon Interactions (SWAAMI) campaign from June to July 2016. These are used to examine the spatial variation of SSA profiles and also to characterize its transformation from just prior to the onset of Indian Summer Monsoon (June 2016) to its active phase (July 2016). Very strong aerosol absorption, with SSA values as low as 0.7, persisted in the lower altitudes (


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document