Retrievals of aerosol optical and microphysical properties from Imaging Polar Nephelometer scattering measurements

A method for the retrieval of aerosol optical and microphysical properties from in situ light-scattering measurements is presented and the results are compared with existing measurement techniques. The Generalized Retrieval of Aerosol and Surface Properties (GRASP) is applied to airborne and laborat...

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Main Authors: W. R. Espinosa, L. A. Remer, O. Dubovik, L. Ziemba, A. Beyersdorf, D. Orozco, G. Schuster, T. Lapyonok, D. Fuertes, J. V. Martins
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2017-03-01
Series:Atmospheric Measurement Techniques
Online Access:http://www.atmos-meas-tech.net/10/811/2017/amt-10-811-2017.pdf
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author W. R. Espinosa
L. A. Remer
O. Dubovik
L. Ziemba
A. Beyersdorf
D. Orozco
G. Schuster
T. Lapyonok
D. Fuertes
J. V. Martins
author_facet W. R. Espinosa
L. A. Remer
O. Dubovik
L. Ziemba
A. Beyersdorf
D. Orozco
G. Schuster
T. Lapyonok
D. Fuertes
J. V. Martins
author_sort W. R. Espinosa
collection DOAJ
description A method for the retrieval of aerosol optical and microphysical properties from in situ light-scattering measurements is presented and the results are compared with existing measurement techniques. The Generalized Retrieval of Aerosol and Surface Properties (GRASP) is applied to airborne and laboratory measurements made by a novel polar nephelometer. This instrument, the Polarized Imaging Nephelometer (PI-Neph), is capable of making high-accuracy field measurements of phase function and degree of linear polarization, at three visible wavelengths, over a wide angular range of 3 to 177°. The resulting retrieval produces particle size distributions (PSDs) that agree, within experimental error, with measurements made by commercial optical particle counters (OPCs). Additionally, the retrieved real part of the refractive index is generally found to be within the predicted error of 0.02 from the expected values for three species of humidified salt particles, with a refractive index that is well established. The airborne measurements used in this work were made aboard the NASA DC-8 aircraft during the Studies of Emissions and Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys (SEAC<sup>4</sup>RS) field campaign, and the inversion of this data represents the first aerosol retrievals of airborne polar nephelometer data. The results provide confidence in the real refractive index product, as well as in the retrieval's ability to accurately determine PSD, without assumptions about refractive index that are required by the majority of OPCs.
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spelling doaj.art-1c901ae5cb6c4b748bad8ea114bd13ab2022-12-21T18:39:48ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Measurement Techniques1867-13811867-85482017-03-0110381182410.5194/amt-10-811-2017Retrievals of aerosol optical and microphysical properties from Imaging Polar Nephelometer scattering measurementsW. R. Espinosa0L. A. Remer1O. Dubovik2L. Ziemba3A. Beyersdorf4D. Orozco5G. Schuster6T. Lapyonok7D. Fuertes8J. V. Martins9Department of Physics, University of Maryland Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250, USADepartment of Physics, University of Maryland Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250, USALaboratoire d'Optique Atmosphérique, UMR8518, CNRS, Université de Lille 1, 59655, Villeneuve d'Ascq, FranceLangley Research Center Science Directorate, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Hampton, Virginia, USALangley Research Center Science Directorate, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Hampton, Virginia, USADepartment of Physics, University of Maryland Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250, USALangley Research Center Science Directorate, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Hampton, Virginia, USALaboratoire d'Optique Atmosphérique, UMR8518, CNRS, Université de Lille 1, 59655, Villeneuve d'Ascq, FranceGRASP-SAS, Bat-P5, Université de Lille 1, 59655, Villeneuve d'Ascq, FranceDepartment of Physics, University of Maryland Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250, USAA method for the retrieval of aerosol optical and microphysical properties from in situ light-scattering measurements is presented and the results are compared with existing measurement techniques. The Generalized Retrieval of Aerosol and Surface Properties (GRASP) is applied to airborne and laboratory measurements made by a novel polar nephelometer. This instrument, the Polarized Imaging Nephelometer (PI-Neph), is capable of making high-accuracy field measurements of phase function and degree of linear polarization, at three visible wavelengths, over a wide angular range of 3 to 177°. The resulting retrieval produces particle size distributions (PSDs) that agree, within experimental error, with measurements made by commercial optical particle counters (OPCs). Additionally, the retrieved real part of the refractive index is generally found to be within the predicted error of 0.02 from the expected values for three species of humidified salt particles, with a refractive index that is well established. The airborne measurements used in this work were made aboard the NASA DC-8 aircraft during the Studies of Emissions and Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys (SEAC<sup>4</sup>RS) field campaign, and the inversion of this data represents the first aerosol retrievals of airborne polar nephelometer data. The results provide confidence in the real refractive index product, as well as in the retrieval's ability to accurately determine PSD, without assumptions about refractive index that are required by the majority of OPCs.http://www.atmos-meas-tech.net/10/811/2017/amt-10-811-2017.pdf
spellingShingle W. R. Espinosa
L. A. Remer
O. Dubovik
L. Ziemba
A. Beyersdorf
D. Orozco
G. Schuster
T. Lapyonok
D. Fuertes
J. V. Martins
Retrievals of aerosol optical and microphysical properties from Imaging Polar Nephelometer scattering measurements
Atmospheric Measurement Techniques
title Retrievals of aerosol optical and microphysical properties from Imaging Polar Nephelometer scattering measurements
title_full Retrievals of aerosol optical and microphysical properties from Imaging Polar Nephelometer scattering measurements
title_fullStr Retrievals of aerosol optical and microphysical properties from Imaging Polar Nephelometer scattering measurements
title_full_unstemmed Retrievals of aerosol optical and microphysical properties from Imaging Polar Nephelometer scattering measurements
title_short Retrievals of aerosol optical and microphysical properties from Imaging Polar Nephelometer scattering measurements
title_sort retrievals of aerosol optical and microphysical properties from imaging polar nephelometer scattering measurements
url http://www.atmos-meas-tech.net/10/811/2017/amt-10-811-2017.pdf
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