Seasonal variation of columnar aerosol optical properties over Athens, Greece, based on MODIS data

A long-term (2000–2005) data set of aerosol optical properties obtained from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) is analyzed focusing on the Greater Athens Area in the Eastern Mediterranean region. The MODIS aerosol optical depth standard product (AOD at 550 nm) and its respective ratio attributed to fine-mode particles (FM) are employed to evaluate the inter-annual and seasonal variability of the aerosol properties over Athens. Based on AOD₅₅₀ and FM values three specific aerosol types are discriminated corresponding to different aerosol load and optical properties. The aerosol types considered correspond to urban/industrial aerosols, coarse-mode particles and clean maritime conditions. This study focuses on the seasonal and year-to-year fluctuation of the number of occurrences as well as the AOD₅₅₀ and FM values of each aerosol type. The coarse-mode particles are observed mainly in the summer, while spring is the most favorable season for the occurrence of urban/industrial aerosols. On the other hand, clean maritime conditions occur mainly in the winter. The AOD₅₅₀ values for the coarse-mode particles are higher in spring, while the urban/industrial and clean maritime aerosols exhibit slightly higher values in the summer. The seasonal distribution of the aerosol properties is related to anthropogenic and dust emissions in the spring/summer period, but is modified by atmospheric dispersion and precipitation in late autumn/winter. The main conclusion of the study is that the coarse-mode particles exhibit much stronger inter-annual and seasonal variability compared to the urban/industrial aerosols. Finally, three cases corresponding to each aerosol type are analyzed with the aid of synoptic weather maps, air mass trajectories and MODIS data.     

Validation of MODIS derived aerosol optical depth over the Yangtze River Delta in China

MODIS derived aerosol optical depths (AODs) at 550 nm are compared with sunphotometer CE318 measurements at 7 sites located at Yangtze River Delta (YRD) in China from July to October, 2007. The evaluation result indicates that MODIS AODs (Collection 5, C005) are in good agreement with those from CE318 in dense vegetation regions, but show more differences in those regions with complex underlying surface (such as at lake water and urban surface sites). Reasons for these differences are discussed after removing cases with significant errors caused by validation scheme. The final validation result shows that MODIS AODs are in good agreement with CE318 with a correlation coefficient of 0.85 and RMS of 0.15. 90% of MODIS cases fall in the range of Δτ = ± 0.05 ± 0.20τ, indicating MODIS aerosol retrieval algorithm, aerosol models and surface reflectance estimate are generally suitably reasonable for aerosol retrieval in YRD. However, MODIS AODs show a systemic errors with fitted line of y = 0.75x + 0.13, indicating underestimation of AOD when aerosol loadings are high. Aerosol models and surface reflectance estimations are dominant sources of MODIS aerosol retrieval errors.     

Retrieval of microphysical and optical properties in aerosol plumes with hyperspectral imagery: L-APOM method

This paper presents the retrieval method L-APOM which aims at characterizing the microphysical and optical properties of aerosol plumes from hyperspectral images with high spatial resolution. The inversion process is divided into three steps: estimation of the ground reflectance below the plume, characterization of the standard atmosphere (gases and background aerosols) and estimation of the plume aerosols properties. As using spectral information only is not sufficient to insure uniqueness of solutions, original constraints are added by assuming slow spatial variations of particles properties within the plume. The whole inversion process is validated on a large set of simulated images and reveals to remain accurate even in the worst cases of noise: relative estimation errors of aerosol properties remain between 10% and 20% in most cases. L-APOM is applied on a real AVIRIS hyperspectral image of a biomass burning plume for which in situ measurements are available. Retrieved properties appear globally consistent with measurements.     

CCN activation of oxalic and malonic acid test aerosols with the University of Vienna cloud condensation nuclei counter

The cloud droplet activation of monodisperse laboratory aerosols consisting of single organic and inorganic substances as well as a mixture of several substances was investigated using the University of Vienna cloud condensation nuclei counter (CCNC). The CCNC operates on the principle of a static thermal diffusion chamber. Water vapour supersaturations can be set in the range from 0.1% to 2%. Aqueous solutions of oxalic acid and malonic acid as well as solutions of inorganic compounds (NaCl and (NH₄)₂SO₄) were nebulized in a Collison atomizer and then passed through a closed-loop differential mobility particle spectrometer to produce monodispersed particles. An internally mixed aerosol consisting of ammonium sulphate, oxalic acid and malonic acid with relative concentrations resembling those found in cloud water at a mountain station [Löflund, Kasper-Giebl, Schuster, Giebl, Hitzenberger, Reischl et al. (2002) Atmos. Environ. 36, 1553] was also investigated for cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activation. All these particles were activated at supersaturations expected from Köhler theory. Oxalic and malonic acid particles are therefore expected to be good atmospheric CCN both as pure particles and as internally mixed particles containing other chemical compounds.     

佩戴防尘口罩对吸入气溶胶粒度影响的实验研究

本文介绍了应用级联撞击器和佩戴口罩的人头模型在天然铀燃料元件加工现场测定吸入气溶胶粒度的方法。结果表明,佩戴口罩使得吸入气溶胶的活度中值空气动力学直径(AMAD)变小,并且吸入气溶胶的 AMAD 值与场所气溶胶的 AMAD 值有一定关系,粒径分布类型也发生改变。文中还报告了口罩的漏过率有随微尘粒径减小而增大的趋势。实验结果对内照射剂量估算以及评价口罩的防尘能力有一定的参考价值。     

用于放射性气溶胶在线富集进样的狭缝虚拟撞击器的研制

为满足环境气溶胶在线进样的要求,改善电感耦合等离子体质谱计(Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry,ICP蛳MS)对粒子中待测核素的探测限,研制出一套具有低流量、低压降特点的狭缝虚拟撞击器,可作为气溶胶在线富集进样系统的关键部件与ICPˉMS联用。本文介绍了该狭缝虚拟撞击器的研制情况:首先由ICP蛳MS的进样条件,根据经验公式完成了理论设计,确定进样流量为11L/min,强流与弱流的流量比为10,喷射狭缝宽度为1mm,长宽比为10;然后用计算流体动力学软件Fluent R对上述结构内部的流场和粒子运动径迹进行了数值模拟,考察了喷射狭缝与收集狭缝的间距G、收集狭缝的宽度Wc及其进口曲率半径的加工偏差对收集效率的影响,得到了较优化的取值范围:G取1.0～1.2mm,Wc取1.4～1.6mm,此时的切割粒径D50约2.5μm;加工出狭缝虚拟撞击器的原型装置,对其分别用室内空气气溶胶和荧光素钠标记的单分散油酸粒子进行富集性能测量。实测结果表明:空气动力学等效直径在2.5～5μm范围内的粒子浓度得到了明显富集,5μm的粒子的富集因子达到极大值7。     

1.06 μm多普勒激光雷达的低对流层风场测量

介绍了一套基于双边缘检测技术的1 064 nm Mie 多普勒测风激光雷达系统。采用Farbry?蛳Perot标准具作为频率检测器,分析了风场中大气气溶胶运动造成的多普勒频移。利用转盘硬目标的速度校准系统对接收机校准,在±40 m/s的径向速度范围内,校准精度小于1％。给出了从2006年4月23日起连续八天的风场测量结果。     

利用大气能见度获取多波长气溶胶光学特性

介绍了一种利用测量得到的大气能见度获取多波长气溶胶光学特性(主要探讨气溶胶的消光系数、散射系数和吸收系数)的新方法。首先,由能见度求出波长0.55 μm的大气消光系数,在减去大气分子的消光系数后得到0.55 μm气溶胶的消光系数,使用Mie散射理论求出气溶胶粒子的数密度;因为同一时间大气状态下气溶胶的数密度是不变的,所以再次使用Mie散射理论即可得到其他波长下气溶胶的光学特性。以1.06、1.536、3.75 μm为例,给出了合肥2003年近地面层的气溶胶光学特性,该方法对于研究大气环境和大气中光传输模式具有重要意义。     

Dual needle corona discharge to generate stable bipolar ion for neutralizing electrosprayed nanoparticles

The performances of dual needle corona discharge (NCD) as bipolar ion source to neutralize the electrospray (ES) particles were characterized and optimized. The NCD was constructed from a tungsten needle and grounded mesh electrode in the needle-to-plane configuration. The dual NCD created a bipolar ion environment by mixing the balanced concentration of positive and negative ions produced by each NCD. The dual NCD was placed in an electrospray aerosol generator (EAG) apparatus to reduce the charge state of the ES particles. Polystyrene latex (PSL) suspensions having the particle size range of 96–256 nm were used as the precursor solution for the electrospray process. Some characterizations to the NCD were carried out to obtain optimum operating voltage and air flow rate. The size distribution and charge fraction of the electrospray PSL (ES-PSL) particles exiting the EAG were also investigated. The result showed the dual NCD could generate stable bipolar ions by mixing positive and negative ions with balanced concentration. The bipolar ions from the dual NCD were capable of neutralizing and reducing the charge state of highly charged ES-PSL particles larger than 100 nm. The EAG, equipped with the dual NCD, could generate ES-PSL particles with stable concentration and consistent size distribution. The charge fraction calculation of the ES-PSL particles showed that more than 80% of the particles exiting the EAG were positively charged.     

Retrieving Aerosol Optical Depth Over Land basedon GOCI Data Onboard Geostationary Satellite

The aerosol optical depth were retrieved using deep\|blue algorithm based on the GOCI data of 72 clear\|sky days in 2013 over the Yangtze River Delta，and then were validated by field data from two measured sites.The results show that the GOCI data can be used for inversion of land aerosols，and both sites show high accuracy.The fitting degree of Beichenlou station of Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology is 0.659，and that of AERONET station is 0.747，which shows good agreement compared with MODIS aerosol products.At the same time，it is found that the aerosol products based on the GOCI data of the stationary satellite have the ability to monitor the diurnal variation of aerosol and provide the basis for the aerosol dynamic diffusion and the climate effect study. 