Further evidence of important environmental information content in red-to-green ratios as depicted in paintings by great masters
We examine sunsets painted by famous artists as proxy information for the aerosol optical depth after major volcanic eruptions. Images derived from precision colour protocols applied to the paintings were compared to online images, and found that the latter, previously analysed, provide accurate inf...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2014-03-01
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| Series: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| Online Access: | http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/14/2987/2014/acp-14-2987-2014.pdf |
| _version_ | 1819029966116880384 |
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| author | C. S. Zerefos P. Tetsis A. Kazantzidis V. Amiridis S. C. Zerefos J. Luterbacher K. Eleftheratos E. Gerasopoulos S. Kazadzis A. Papayannis |
| author_facet | C. S. Zerefos P. Tetsis A. Kazantzidis V. Amiridis S. C. Zerefos J. Luterbacher K. Eleftheratos E. Gerasopoulos S. Kazadzis A. Papayannis |
| author_sort | C. S. Zerefos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We examine sunsets painted by famous artists as proxy information for the
aerosol optical depth after major volcanic eruptions. Images derived from
precision colour protocols applied to the paintings were compared to online
images, and found that the latter, previously analysed, provide accurate
information. Aerosol optical depths (AODs) at 550 nm, corresponding to
Northern Hemisphere middle latitudes, calculated by introducing red-to-green
(R / G) ratios from a large number of paintings to a radiative transfer model,
were significantly correlated with independent proxies from stratospheric
AOD and optical extinction data, the dust veil index, and ice core volcanic
indices. AODs calculated from paintings were grouped into 50-year intervals
from 1500 to 2000. The year of each eruption and the 3 following years were
defined as "volcanic". The remaining "non-volcanic" years were used to
provide additional evidence of a multidecadal increase in the atmospheric
optical depths during the industrial "revolution". The increase of AOD at
550 nm calculated from the paintings grows from 0.15 in the middle 19th
century to about 0.20 by the end of the 20th century. To corroborate
our findings, an experiment was designed in which a master painter/colourist
painted successive sunsets during and after the passage of Saharan aerosols
over the island of Hydra in Greece. Independent solar radiometric
measurements confirmed that the master colourist's R / G ratios which were
used to model his AODs, matched the AOD values measured in situ by
co-located sun photometers during the declining phase of the Saharan
aerosol. An independent experiment was performed to understand the
difference between R / G ratios calculated from a typical volcanic aerosol and
those measured from the mineral aerosol during the Hydra experiment. It was
found that the differences in terms of R / G ratios were small, ranging
between −2.6% and +1.6%. Also, when analysing different parts of
cloudless skies of paintings following major volcanic eruptions, any
structural differences seen in the paintings had not altered the results
discussed above. However, a detailed study on all possible sources of
uncertainties involved (such as the impact of clouds on R / G ratios) still
needs to be studied. Because of the large number of paintings studied, we
tentatively propose the conclusion that regardless of the school,
red-to-green ratios from great masters can provide independent proxy AODs
that correlate with widely accepted proxies and with independent
measurements. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T06:22:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bf25ad1bbe094acabc72c0dd632ca932 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1680-7316 1680-7324 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T06:22:39Z |
| publishDate | 2014-03-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| spelling | doaj.art-bf25ad1bbe094acabc72c0dd632ca9322022-12-21T19:13:13ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242014-03-011462987301510.5194/acp-14-2987-2014Further evidence of important environmental information content in red-to-green ratios as depicted in paintings by great mastersC. S. Zerefos0P. Tetsis1A. Kazantzidis2V. Amiridis3S. C. Zerefos4J. Luterbacher5K. Eleftheratos6E. Gerasopoulos7S. Kazadzis8A. Papayannis9Academy of Athens, Athens, GreeceAcademy of Athens, Athens, GreeceLaboratory of Atmospheric Physics, Physics Department, University of Patras, GreeceInstitute of Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Application and Remote Sensing, National Observatory of Athens, GreeceHellenic Open University, Patras, GreeceDepartment of Geography, Climatology, Climate Dynamics and Climate Change, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Giessen, GermanyFaculty of Geology and Geoenvironment, University of Athens, GreeceNavarino Environmental Observatory (N.E.O.), Messinia, GreeceInstitute of Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, GreeceNational Technical University of Athens, Athens, GreeceWe examine sunsets painted by famous artists as proxy information for the aerosol optical depth after major volcanic eruptions. Images derived from precision colour protocols applied to the paintings were compared to online images, and found that the latter, previously analysed, provide accurate information. Aerosol optical depths (AODs) at 550 nm, corresponding to Northern Hemisphere middle latitudes, calculated by introducing red-to-green (R / G) ratios from a large number of paintings to a radiative transfer model, were significantly correlated with independent proxies from stratospheric AOD and optical extinction data, the dust veil index, and ice core volcanic indices. AODs calculated from paintings were grouped into 50-year intervals from 1500 to 2000. The year of each eruption and the 3 following years were defined as "volcanic". The remaining "non-volcanic" years were used to provide additional evidence of a multidecadal increase in the atmospheric optical depths during the industrial "revolution". The increase of AOD at 550 nm calculated from the paintings grows from 0.15 in the middle 19th century to about 0.20 by the end of the 20th century. To corroborate our findings, an experiment was designed in which a master painter/colourist painted successive sunsets during and after the passage of Saharan aerosols over the island of Hydra in Greece. Independent solar radiometric measurements confirmed that the master colourist's R / G ratios which were used to model his AODs, matched the AOD values measured in situ by co-located sun photometers during the declining phase of the Saharan aerosol. An independent experiment was performed to understand the difference between R / G ratios calculated from a typical volcanic aerosol and those measured from the mineral aerosol during the Hydra experiment. It was found that the differences in terms of R / G ratios were small, ranging between −2.6% and +1.6%. Also, when analysing different parts of cloudless skies of paintings following major volcanic eruptions, any structural differences seen in the paintings had not altered the results discussed above. However, a detailed study on all possible sources of uncertainties involved (such as the impact of clouds on R / G ratios) still needs to be studied. Because of the large number of paintings studied, we tentatively propose the conclusion that regardless of the school, red-to-green ratios from great masters can provide independent proxy AODs that correlate with widely accepted proxies and with independent measurements.http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/14/2987/2014/acp-14-2987-2014.pdf |
| spellingShingle | C. S. Zerefos P. Tetsis A. Kazantzidis V. Amiridis S. C. Zerefos J. Luterbacher K. Eleftheratos E. Gerasopoulos S. Kazadzis A. Papayannis Further evidence of important environmental information content in red-to-green ratios as depicted in paintings by great masters Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| title | Further evidence of important environmental information content in red-to-green ratios as depicted in paintings by great masters |
| title_full | Further evidence of important environmental information content in red-to-green ratios as depicted in paintings by great masters |
| title_fullStr | Further evidence of important environmental information content in red-to-green ratios as depicted in paintings by great masters |
| title_full_unstemmed | Further evidence of important environmental information content in red-to-green ratios as depicted in paintings by great masters |
| title_short | Further evidence of important environmental information content in red-to-green ratios as depicted in paintings by great masters |
| title_sort | further evidence of important environmental information content in red to green ratios as depicted in paintings by great masters |
| url | http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/14/2987/2014/acp-14-2987-2014.pdf |
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