Three-Dimensional Distributions of the Direct Effect of anExtended and Intense Dust Aerosol Episode (16–18 June 2016) over the Mediterranean Basin on Regional Shortwave Radiation, Atmospheric Thermal Structure, and Dynamics
In the present study, we used the FORTH deterministic spectral Radiation Transfer Model (RTM) to estimate detailed three-dimensional distributions of the Direct Radiative Effects (DREs) and their consequent modification of the thermal structure of the regional atmosphere during an intense dust episo...
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| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/12/6878 |
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| author | Maria Gavrouzou Nikos Hatzianastassiou Marios-Bruno Korras-Carraca Michalis Stamatis Christos Lolis Christos Matsoukas Nikos Michalopoulos Ilias Vardavas |
| author_facet | Maria Gavrouzou Nikos Hatzianastassiou Marios-Bruno Korras-Carraca Michalis Stamatis Christos Lolis Christos Matsoukas Nikos Michalopoulos Ilias Vardavas |
| author_sort | Maria Gavrouzou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the present study, we used the FORTH deterministic spectral Radiation Transfer Model (RTM) to estimate detailed three-dimensional distributions of the Direct Radiative Effects (DREs) and their consequent modification of the thermal structure of the regional atmosphere during an intense dust episode that took place from 16 to 18 June 2016 over the Mediterranean Basin (MB). The RTM operated on a 3-hourly temporal and 0.5 × 0.625° spatial resolution, using 3-D aerosol optical properties (i.e., aerosol optical depth, single scattering albedo, and asymmetry parameter) and other surface and atmospheric properties from the MERRA-2 reanalysis and cloud properties (i.e., cloud amount, cloud optical depth, and cloud top height) from the ISCCP-H dataset. The model ran with and without dust aerosols, yielding the upwelling and downwelling solar fluxes at the top of the atmosphere, in the atmosphere, and at the Earth’s surface as well as at 50 levels in the atmosphere. The dust direct radiative effect (DDRE) was estimated as the difference between the two (one taking into account all aerosol types and one taking into account all except for dust aerosols) flux outputs. The atmospheric heating rates and subsequent convection induced by dust radiative absorption were calculated at 50 levels to determine how the DDRE affects the thermal structure and dynamics of the atmosphere. The results showed that such a great and intense dust transport event significantly reduces the net surface solar radiation over the MB (by up to 62 W/m<sup>2</sup> on a daily mean basis, and up to 200 W/m<sup>2</sup> on an hourly basis, at 12:00 UTC) while increasing the atmospheric solar absorption (by up to 72 W/m<sup>2</sup> daily and 187 W/m<sup>2</sup> hourly, at 12:00 UTC). At the top of the atmosphere, both heating (over desert areas) and cooling (over oceanic and other continental areas) are observed due to the significantly different surface albedos. Transported dust causes considerable heating of the region’s atmosphere, which becomes maximum at altitudes where the dust loadings are highest (0.14 K/3 h on 17 June 2016, 12:00 UTC, at 3–5 km above sea level). The dust solar absorption and heating induce a buoyancy as strong as 0.014 m/s<sup>2</sup>, resulting in considerable changes in vertical air motions and possibly contributing to the formation of middle- and high-level clouds over the Mediterranean Basin. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:49:37Z |
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| id | doaj.art-52370740c2eb4ad881cf5a0ce268efee |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:49:37Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-52370740c2eb4ad881cf5a0ce268efee2023-11-18T09:05:47ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172023-06-011312687810.3390/app13126878Three-Dimensional Distributions of the Direct Effect of anExtended and Intense Dust Aerosol Episode (16–18 June 2016) over the Mediterranean Basin on Regional Shortwave Radiation, Atmospheric Thermal Structure, and DynamicsMaria Gavrouzou0Nikos Hatzianastassiou1Marios-Bruno Korras-Carraca2Michalis Stamatis3Christos Lolis4Christos Matsoukas5Nikos Michalopoulos6Ilias Vardavas7Laboratory of Meteorology and Climatology, Department of Physics, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, GreeceLaboratory of Meteorology and Climatology, Department of Physics, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, GreeceLaboratory of Meteorology and Climatology, Department of Physics, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, GreeceLaboratory of Meteorology and Climatology, Department of Physics, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, GreeceLaboratory of Meteorology and Climatology, Department of Physics, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, GreeceDepartment of Environment, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, GreeceInstitute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development (IERSD), National Observatory of Athens, 15236 Athens, GreeceDepartment of Physics, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, GreeceIn the present study, we used the FORTH deterministic spectral Radiation Transfer Model (RTM) to estimate detailed three-dimensional distributions of the Direct Radiative Effects (DREs) and their consequent modification of the thermal structure of the regional atmosphere during an intense dust episode that took place from 16 to 18 June 2016 over the Mediterranean Basin (MB). The RTM operated on a 3-hourly temporal and 0.5 × 0.625° spatial resolution, using 3-D aerosol optical properties (i.e., aerosol optical depth, single scattering albedo, and asymmetry parameter) and other surface and atmospheric properties from the MERRA-2 reanalysis and cloud properties (i.e., cloud amount, cloud optical depth, and cloud top height) from the ISCCP-H dataset. The model ran with and without dust aerosols, yielding the upwelling and downwelling solar fluxes at the top of the atmosphere, in the atmosphere, and at the Earth’s surface as well as at 50 levels in the atmosphere. The dust direct radiative effect (DDRE) was estimated as the difference between the two (one taking into account all aerosol types and one taking into account all except for dust aerosols) flux outputs. The atmospheric heating rates and subsequent convection induced by dust radiative absorption were calculated at 50 levels to determine how the DDRE affects the thermal structure and dynamics of the atmosphere. The results showed that such a great and intense dust transport event significantly reduces the net surface solar radiation over the MB (by up to 62 W/m<sup>2</sup> on a daily mean basis, and up to 200 W/m<sup>2</sup> on an hourly basis, at 12:00 UTC) while increasing the atmospheric solar absorption (by up to 72 W/m<sup>2</sup> daily and 187 W/m<sup>2</sup> hourly, at 12:00 UTC). At the top of the atmosphere, both heating (over desert areas) and cooling (over oceanic and other continental areas) are observed due to the significantly different surface albedos. Transported dust causes considerable heating of the region’s atmosphere, which becomes maximum at altitudes where the dust loadings are highest (0.14 K/3 h on 17 June 2016, 12:00 UTC, at 3–5 km above sea level). The dust solar absorption and heating induce a buoyancy as strong as 0.014 m/s<sup>2</sup>, resulting in considerable changes in vertical air motions and possibly contributing to the formation of middle- and high-level clouds over the Mediterranean Basin.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/12/6878dust episodesMediterranean Basinradiative forcingheating ratesbuoyancy |
| spellingShingle | Maria Gavrouzou Nikos Hatzianastassiou Marios-Bruno Korras-Carraca Michalis Stamatis Christos Lolis Christos Matsoukas Nikos Michalopoulos Ilias Vardavas Three-Dimensional Distributions of the Direct Effect of anExtended and Intense Dust Aerosol Episode (16–18 June 2016) over the Mediterranean Basin on Regional Shortwave Radiation, Atmospheric Thermal Structure, and Dynamics Applied Sciences dust episodes Mediterranean Basin radiative forcing heating rates buoyancy |
| title | Three-Dimensional Distributions of the Direct Effect of anExtended and Intense Dust Aerosol Episode (16–18 June 2016) over the Mediterranean Basin on Regional Shortwave Radiation, Atmospheric Thermal Structure, and Dynamics |
| title_full | Three-Dimensional Distributions of the Direct Effect of anExtended and Intense Dust Aerosol Episode (16–18 June 2016) over the Mediterranean Basin on Regional Shortwave Radiation, Atmospheric Thermal Structure, and Dynamics |
| title_fullStr | Three-Dimensional Distributions of the Direct Effect of anExtended and Intense Dust Aerosol Episode (16–18 June 2016) over the Mediterranean Basin on Regional Shortwave Radiation, Atmospheric Thermal Structure, and Dynamics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Three-Dimensional Distributions of the Direct Effect of anExtended and Intense Dust Aerosol Episode (16–18 June 2016) over the Mediterranean Basin on Regional Shortwave Radiation, Atmospheric Thermal Structure, and Dynamics |
| title_short | Three-Dimensional Distributions of the Direct Effect of anExtended and Intense Dust Aerosol Episode (16–18 June 2016) over the Mediterranean Basin on Regional Shortwave Radiation, Atmospheric Thermal Structure, and Dynamics |
| title_sort | three dimensional distributions of the direct effect of anextended and intense dust aerosol episode 16 18 june 2016 over the mediterranean basin on regional shortwave radiation atmospheric thermal structure and dynamics |
| topic | dust episodes Mediterranean Basin radiative forcing heating rates buoyancy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/12/6878 |
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