Proxies for estimating nucleation mode number concentrations and further simplification for their use with satellite data have been presented in Kulmala et al. (2011). In this paper we discuss the ...underlying assumptions for these simplifications and evaluate the resulting proxies over an area in South Africa based on a comparison with a suite of ground-based measurements available from four different stations. The proxies are formulated in terms of sources (concentrations of precursor gases (NO2 and SO2) and UVB radiation intensity near the surface) and a sink term related to removal of the precursor gases due to condensation on pre-existing aerosols. A-Train satellite data are used as input to compute proxies. Both the input data and the resulting proxies are compared with those obtained from ground-based measurements. In particular, a detailed study is presented on the substitution of the local condensation sink (CS) with satellite aerosol optical depth (AOD), which is a column-integrated parameter. One of the main factors affecting the disagreement between CS and AOD is the presence of elevated aerosol layers. Overall, the correlation between proxies calculated from the in situ data and observed nucleation mode particle number concentrations (Nnuc) remained low. At the time of the satellite overpass (13:00-14:00 LT) the highest correlation is observed for SO2/CS (R2 = 0.2). However, when the proxies are calculated using satellite data, only NO2/AOD showed some correlation with Nnuc (R2 = 0.2). This can be explained by the relatively high uncertainties related especially to the satellite SO2 columns and by the positive correlation that is observed between the ground-based SO2 and NO2 concentrations. In fact, results show that the satellite NO2 columns compare better with in situ SO2 concentration than the satellite SO2 column. Despite the high uncertainties related to the proxies calculated using satellite data, the proxies calculated from the in situ data did not better predict Nnuc. Hence, overall improvements in the formulation of the proxies are needed.
A satellite-based approach to derive the aerosol direct shortwave (SW) radiative effect (ADRE) was studied in an environment with highly variable aerosol conditions over eastern China from March to ...October 2009. The method is based on using coincident SW top-of-the-atmosphere (TOA) fluxes from the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) and aerosol optical depths (AODs) from the MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) to derive SW clear-sky ADRE. The estimate for the aerosol-free TOA flux (F0,TOA) is obtained by establishing linear regression between CERES SW TOA fluxes and MODIS AODs. A normalization procedure to a fixed solar zenith angle, Earth-Sun distance and atmospheric water vapor content was applied to the CERES fluxes prior to the linear fit against AOD to reduce the flux variation not related to aerosols. In the majority of the cases, the normalization increased positive correlation between observed SW TOA fluxes and AODs, and it decreased RMSE. The key question in the satellite-based approach is the accuracy of the estimated F0,TOA. Comparison with simulated F0,TOA showed that both the satellite method and the model produced qualitatively similar spatial patterns, but absolute values differed. In 58 % of the cases the satellite-based F0,TOA was within plus or minus 10 W m-2 of the modeled value (about 7-8 % difference in flux values). Over bright surfaces, the satellite-based method tend to produce lower F0,TOA than the model. The satellite-based clear-sky estimates for median instantaneous and diurnally averaged ADRE over the study area were -8.8 W m-2 and -5.1 W m-2, respectively. Over heavily industrialized areas, the cooling at TOA was 2 to more than 3 times the median value, and associated with high AODs (> 0.5). Especially during the summer months, positive ADREs were observed locally over dark surfaces. This was most probably a method artifact related to systematic change of aerosol type, sub-visual cloud contamination or both.
Comorbidity indices are often used to measure comorbidities in register-based research. We aimed to adapt the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) to a Swedish setting.
Four versions of the CCI were ...compared and evaluated by disease-specific experts.
We created a cohesive coding system for CCI to 1) harmonize the content between different international classification of disease codes (ICD-7,8,9,10), 2) delete incorrect codes, 3) enhance the distinction between mild, moderate or severe disease (and between diabetes with and without end-organ damage), 4) minimize duplication of codes, and 5) briefly explain the meaning of individual codes in writing.
This work may provide an integrated and efficient coding algorithm for CCI to be used in medical register-based research in Sweden.
A climate-aerosol model is employed to study spatial and temporal variability of aerosol properties over India and China for recent (year 2006) and future conditions (year 2020) under different ...emission pathways. We present results for aerosol mass concentration in different size classes and optical properties for the five different aerosol species treated by the model. Aerosol mass concentration and optical depth have significant contributions from both anthropogenic and natural aerosols. Different species have maxima in different regions, with the highest anthropogenic aerosol concentrations found in Kolkata and elsewhere in the Ganges basin in India and on the northern part of the east coast and in the Sichuan basin in China. In India, natural aerosols have a maximum in the summer due to higher wind speeds, whereas anthropogenic aerosols have a maximum in the winter due to less efficient wet removal. Surface concentrations also tend to be higher in winter due to the additional reason of lower average boundary layer height. In China, seasonal cycles are weaker with natural aerosols having a maximum in the spring and sulfate contribution to the aerosol optical depth (AOD) being higher in the latter half of the year. MODIS AOD spatial distributions are reproduced well by the model, except for the Ganges valley with high absorption and for the Thar desert with high dust concentrations. Seasonal cycles compare qualitatively well with MODIS measurements.
Atmospheric aerosols have significant effects on human
health and the climate. A large fraction of these aerosols originates from
secondary new particle formation (NPF), where atmospheric vapors form ...small
particles that subsequently grow into larger sizes. In this study, we
characterize NPF events observed at a rural background site of Hada Al Sham
(21.802∘ N, 39.729∘ E), located in western Saudi Arabia,
during the years 2013–2015. Our analysis shows that NPF events occur very
frequently at the site, as 73 % of all the 454 classified days were NPF
days. The high NPF frequency is likely explained by the typically prevailing
conditions of clear skies and high solar radiation, in combination with
sufficient amounts of precursor vapors for particle formation and growth.
Several factors suggest that in Hada Al Sham these precursor vapors are
related to the transport of anthropogenic emissions from the coastal urban
and industrial areas. The median particle formation and growth rates for the
NPF days were 8.7 cm−3 s−1 (J7 nm) and 7.4 nm h−1
(GR7−12 nm), respectively, both showing highest values during late summer.
Interestingly, the formation and growth rates increase as a function of the
condensation sink, likely reflecting the common anthropogenic sources of NPF
precursor vapors and primary particles affecting the condensation sink. A total of 76 % of the NPF days showed an unusual progression, where the observed
diameter of the newly formed particle mode started to decrease after the
growth phase. In comparison to most long-term measurements, the NPF events
in Hada Al Sham are exceptionally frequent and strong both in terms of
formation and growth rates. In addition, the frequency of the decreasing
mode diameter events is higher than anywhere else in the world.
Recent studies have shown very high frequencies of atmospheric new particle formation in different environments in South Africa. Our aim here was to investigate the causes for two or three ...consecutive daytime nucleation events, followed by subsequent particle growth during the same day. We analysed 108 and 31 such days observed in a polluted industrial and moderately polluted rural environments, respectively, in South Africa. The analysis was based on two years of measurements at each site. After rejecting the days having notable changes in the air mass origin or local wind direction, i.e. two major reasons for observed multiple nucleation events, we were able to investigate other factors causing this phenomenon. Clouds were present during, or in between most of the analysed multiple particle formation events. Therefore, some of these events may have been single events, interrupted somehow by the presence of clouds. From further analysis, we propose that the first nucleation and growth event of the day was often associated with the mixing of a residual air layer rich in SO2 (oxidized to sulphuric acid) into the shallow surface-coupled layer. The second nucleation and growth event of the day usually started before midday and was sometimes associated with renewed SO2 emissions from industrial origin. However, it was also evident that vapours other than sulphuric acid were required for the particle growth during both events. This was especially the case when two simultaneously growing particle modes were observed. Based on our analysis, we conclude that the relative contributions of estimated H2SO4 and other vapours on the first and second nucleation and growth events of the day varied from day to day, depending on anthropogenic and natural emissions, as well as atmospheric conditions.
The Advanced Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR) on board the ENVISAT satellite is used to study aerosol properties. The retrieval of aerosol properties from satellite data is based on the ...optimized fit of simulated and measured reflectances at the top of the atmosphere (TOA). The simulations are made using a radiative transfer model with a variety of representative aerosol properties. The retrieval process utilizes a combination of four aerosol components, each of which is defined by their (lognormal) size distribution and a complex refractive index: a weakly and a strongly absorbing fine-mode component, coarse mode sea salt aerosol and coarse mode desert dust aerosol). These components are externally mixed to provide the aerosol model which in turn is used to calculate the aerosol optical depth (AOD). In the AATSR aerosol retrieval algorithm, the mixing of these components is decided by minimizing the error function given by the sum of the differences between measured and calculated path radiances at 3-4 wavelengths, where the path radiances are varied by varying the aerosol component mixing ratios. The continuous variation of the fine-mode components allows for the continuous variation of the fine-mode aerosol absorption. Assuming that the correct aerosol model (i.e. the correct mixing fractions of the four components) is selected during the retrieval process, also other aerosol properties could be computed such as the single scattering albedo (SSA). Implications of this assumption regarding the ratio of the weakly/strongly absorbing fine-mode fraction are investigated in this paper by evaluating the validity of the SSA thus obtained. The SSA is indirectly estimated for aerosol plumes with moderate-to-high AOD resulting from wildfires in Russia in the summer of 2010. Together with the AOD, the SSA provides the aerosol absorbing optical depth (AAOD). The results are compared with AERONET data, i.e. AOD level 2.0 and SSA and AAOD inversion products. The RMSE (root mean square error) is 0.03 for SSA and 0.02 for AAOD lower than 0.05. The SSA is further evaluated by comparison with the SSA retrieved from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI). The SSA retrieved from both instruments show similar features, with generally lower AATSR-estimated SSA values over areas affected by wildfires.
Ash plume top height estimation using AATSR Virtanen, T. H; Kolmonen, P; Rodríguez, E ...
Atmospheric measurement techniques,
08/2014, Letnik:
7, Številka:
8
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
An algorithm is presented for the estimation of volcanic ash plume top height using the stereo view of the Advanced Along Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR) aboard Envisat. The algorithm is based on ...matching top of the atmosphere (TOA) reflectances and brightness temperatures of the nadir and 55° forward views, and using the resulting parallax to obtain the height estimate. Various retrieval parameters are discussed in detail, several quality parameters are introduced, and post-processing methods for screening out unreliable data have been developed. The method is compared to other satellite observations and in situ data. The proposed algorithm is designed to be fully automatic and can be implemented in operational retrieval algorithms. Combined with automated ash detection using the brightness temperature difference between the 11 and 12 μm channels, the algorithm allows efficient simultaneous retrieval of the horizontal and vertical dispersion of volcanic ash. A case study on the eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull in 2010 is presented.
In this study, a method is presented to retrieve the surface reflectance using the radiances measured at the top of the atmosphere for the two views provided by the Advanced Along-Track Scanning ...Radiometer (AATSR). In the first step, the aerosol optical depth (AOD) is obtained using the AATSR dual-view algorithm (ADV) by eliminating the effect of the surface on the measured radiances. Hence the AOD is independent of surface properties and can thus be used in the second step to provide the aerosol part of the atmospheric correction which is needed for the surface reflectance retrieval. The method is applied to provide monthly maps of both AOD and surface reflectance at two wavelengths (555 and 659 nm) for the whole year of 2007. The results are validated versus surface reflectance provided by the AERONET-based Surface Reflectance Validation Network (ASRVN). Correlation coefficients are 0.8 and 0.9 for 555 and 659 nm, respectively. The standard deviation is 0.001 for both wavelengths and the absolute error is less than 0.02. Pixel-by-pixel comparison with MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer) monthly averaged surface reflectances show a good correlation (0.91 and 0.89 for 555 and 659 nm, respectively) with somewhat higher values (up to 0.05) obtained by ADV over bright surfaces. The difference between the ADV- and MODIS-retrieved surface reflectances is smaller than ±0.025 for 68.3% of the collocated pixels at 555 nm and 79.9% of the collocated pixels at 659 nm. An application of the results over Australia illustrates the variation in the surface reflectances for different land cover types. The validation and comparison results suggest that the algorithm can be successfully used for both the AATSR and ATSR-2 (which has characteristics similar to AATSR) missions, which together cover a 17-year period of measurements (1995–2012), as well as a prototype for the Sea and Land Surface Temperature Radiometer (SLSTR) planned to be launched in the fall of 2015 onboard the Sentinel-3 satellite.
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