Middle East versus Saharan dust extinction-to-backscatter ratios
Four years (2010–2013) of observations with polarization lidar and sun/sky photometer at the combined European Aerosol Research Lidar Network (EARLINET) and Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) site of Limassol (34.7° N, 33° E), Cyprus, were used to compare extinction-to-backscatter ratios (lid...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2015-06-01
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| Series: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| Online Access: | http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/15/7071/2015/acp-15-7071-2015.pdf |
| _version_ | 1828356522664525824 |
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| author | A. Nisantzi R. E. Mamouri A. Ansmann G. L. Schuster D. G. Hadjimitsis |
| author_facet | A. Nisantzi R. E. Mamouri A. Ansmann G. L. Schuster D. G. Hadjimitsis |
| author_sort | A. Nisantzi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Four years (2010–2013) of observations with polarization lidar and
sun/sky photometer at the combined European Aerosol Research Lidar
Network (EARLINET) and Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) site of
Limassol (34.7° N, 33° E), Cyprus, were used to
compare extinction-to-backscatter ratios (lidar ratios) for desert
dust from Middle East deserts and the Sahara. In an earlier article, we analyzed one case only
and found comparably low lidar ratios < 40 sr for Middle East dust. The complex data
analysis scheme is presented. The quality of the retrieval is
checked within a case study by comparing the results with respective
Raman lidar solutions for particle backscatter, extinction, and
lidar ratio. The applied combined lidar/photometer retrievals
corroborate recent findings regarding the difference between Middle
East and Saharan dust lidar ratios. We found values from
43–65 sr with a mean (±standard deviation) of 53 ± 6 sr for Saharan
dust and from 33–48 sr with a mean of 41 ± 4 sr
for Middle East dust for the wavelength of 532 nm. The presented data analysis, however, also
demonstrates the difficulties in identifying the optical properties
of dust even during outbreak situations in the presence of complex
aerosol mixtures of desert dust, marine particles, fire smoke, and
anthropogenic haze. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T03:00:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-681a7c066df341d4b406ac680cb12681 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1680-7316 1680-7324 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T03:00:15Z |
| publishDate | 2015-06-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| spelling | doaj.art-681a7c066df341d4b406ac680cb126812022-12-22T02:15:55ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242015-06-0115127071708410.5194/acp-15-7071-2015Middle East versus Saharan dust extinction-to-backscatter ratiosA. Nisantzi0R. E. Mamouri1A. Ansmann2G. L. Schuster3D. G. Hadjimitsis4Cyprus University of Technology, Dep. of Civil Engineering and Geomatics, Limassol, CyprusCyprus University of Technology, Dep. of Civil Engineering and Geomatics, Limassol, CyprusLeibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research, Leipzig, GermanyNASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia, USACyprus University of Technology, Dep. of Civil Engineering and Geomatics, Limassol, CyprusFour years (2010–2013) of observations with polarization lidar and sun/sky photometer at the combined European Aerosol Research Lidar Network (EARLINET) and Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) site of Limassol (34.7° N, 33° E), Cyprus, were used to compare extinction-to-backscatter ratios (lidar ratios) for desert dust from Middle East deserts and the Sahara. In an earlier article, we analyzed one case only and found comparably low lidar ratios < 40 sr for Middle East dust. The complex data analysis scheme is presented. The quality of the retrieval is checked within a case study by comparing the results with respective Raman lidar solutions for particle backscatter, extinction, and lidar ratio. The applied combined lidar/photometer retrievals corroborate recent findings regarding the difference between Middle East and Saharan dust lidar ratios. We found values from 43–65 sr with a mean (±standard deviation) of 53 ± 6 sr for Saharan dust and from 33–48 sr with a mean of 41 ± 4 sr for Middle East dust for the wavelength of 532 nm. The presented data analysis, however, also demonstrates the difficulties in identifying the optical properties of dust even during outbreak situations in the presence of complex aerosol mixtures of desert dust, marine particles, fire smoke, and anthropogenic haze.http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/15/7071/2015/acp-15-7071-2015.pdf |
| spellingShingle | A. Nisantzi R. E. Mamouri A. Ansmann G. L. Schuster D. G. Hadjimitsis Middle East versus Saharan dust extinction-to-backscatter ratios Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| title | Middle East versus Saharan dust extinction-to-backscatter ratios |
| title_full | Middle East versus Saharan dust extinction-to-backscatter ratios |
| title_fullStr | Middle East versus Saharan dust extinction-to-backscatter ratios |
| title_full_unstemmed | Middle East versus Saharan dust extinction-to-backscatter ratios |
| title_short | Middle East versus Saharan dust extinction-to-backscatter ratios |
| title_sort | middle east versus saharan dust extinction to backscatter ratios |
| url | http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/15/7071/2015/acp-15-7071-2015.pdf |
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