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Abstract: Optical properties of atmospheric aerosol particles have been recorded at a remote location of the Eastern Mediterranean on a continuous basis since 2000. Measurements of aerosol scattering coefficient (bsp) and absorption coefficient (bap) have been conducted, providing the longest data series of such ground based measurements in the Eastern Mediterranean basin. bsp shows an annual cycle with maximum values observed during summer and minimum during winter. In addition, in periods when mineral dust is transported into the area, high values are observed. It has been shown that both the level and the annual variation of bsp can be well represented if ammonium sulfate (AS) and particulate organic matter (POM) are assumed as the only scattering species in the aerosol phase. bap was measured at three wavelengths using two different instruments and a single wavelength data series was extracted. Maximum values of bap were observed during summer and during periods with extended dust transport to the area. If mineral dust particles are present in the atmosphere they can contribute up to 80% of bap levels at the visible wavelengths. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Particle number size distribution measurements were conducted during the summer of 2012 at City-Centre Urban Background (Patras-C), Urban Background (ICE-HT in Patras, DEM in Athens, EPT in Thessaloniki), and Regional Background stations (FIN in Crete). At the City-Centre Urban Background station, the average number distribution had a geometric mean diameter peak approximately at 60 nm and the highest number concentration, whereas at the Regional Background station and the Urban Background stations it displayed a major peak approximately at 100 nm, with the Regional Background station exhibiting the lowest number concentration. The particle number size distribution at each site was divided into size fractions and, based on their diurnal variation and previous studies, we concluded that the main sources for the City-Centre Urban Background station are traffic and the regional background concentration, for the Urban Background stations fresh traffic, aged traffic, cooking and the regional background concentration, and for the Regional Background station local activities (tourism, cooking) and regional background concentration. The median number concentration that is attributed to regional background concentration for the City-Centre Urban Background, the Urban Background and the Regional Background stations are respectively 13, 29 and 45% of the total number concentration. Nucleation events were identified at DEM station, where the newly formed particles accounted for 4% of the total particle concentration for the measurement period in the size range 10–20 nm, EPT, where they accounted for 12%, and FIN, where they accounted for 1%, respectively. New Particle Formation events contribution during summer to Condensation Cloud Nuclei were therefore insignificant in the Eastern Mediterranean. Modal analysis was performed on the number distributions and the results were classified in clusters. At the City-Centre Urban Background station, the cluster-source that dominated number concentration and frequency is related to fresh and aged traffic emissions, at the Urban Background stations aged traffic emissions, while at the Regional Background station number and frequency were dominated by the regional background concentration. Based on cluster analysis, 18% of the median number distribution was due to long range transport at the City-Centre Urban Background site, 37% at the Urban Background sites, and 59% at the Regional Background site. The Flexible Particle Dispersion Model (FLEXPART) was used in order to acquire geographic origin clusters and we concluded that the Etesian flow increases the median regional background number concentration in the Mediterranean basin by a factor of 2.5–4. Image 1 • Particle number size distribution in the Eastern Mediterranean during the Etesians. • Derivation of aerosol sources at five stations and comparison to previous studies. • Distinction between long range transported and locally produced aerosol particles. • Air mass origin impact on the background particle number concentration. • Nucleation events during summer are rarely observed (0–9% of calendar days). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on aerosol absorption photometers using results of two intercomparison workshops conducted in 2005 and 2007. It discusses how the study was conducted wherein data from the workshops were corrected using existing methods before analysis. The results reportedly indicates a large difference between the responses to absorbing aerosol particles for different types of instruments suggesting that the correction functions for absorption photometers are inadequate.

Abstract: More than 2500 measurements of C2–C8 non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) have been conducted at Finokalia sampling station on the island of Crete over a thirty-month period (September 2003–February 2006), to investigate the factors controlling NMHC levels and estimate their role in the oxidizing capacity of the Eastern Mediterranean atmosphere. Atmospheric concentrations of NMHCs range from below the detection limit (5 pptv) to a few ppbv and present a hydroxyl radical (OH) driven seasonal pattern with lower values during summer. The diel variability was also influenced by the reaction of the NMHC with the OH radical, exhibiting a nighttime maximum and a midday or early afternoon minimum. Long-lived compounds demonstrate higher concentrations under the influence of the northern sector (European continent), indicating that besides chemistry, transport significantly contributes to NMHCs levels in the area. Based on the observed NMHCs diurnal cycles, mean OH radical levels of 3.5 × 106 molecules cm−3 have been derived for May–October period. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study determined measured and Mie-calculated angular signal truncations for total and backscatter TSI, Inc., nephelometers, as a function of wavelength and for particles of known size and composition. Except for the total scattering channels, similar agreements as in a previous study of measured and calculated truncations were derived for submicrometer test aerosols. For the first time, instrument responses were also determined for supermicrometer test aerosols up to 1.9 μm in geometric mean diameter. These supermicrometer data confirm the theoretical predictions of strong angular truncations of the total scatter signals in integrating nephelometers due to the limited range of measured forward scattering angles. Truncations up to 60% were determined for the largest measured particles. Rough empirical truncation corrections have been derived from the calibration data for Radiance Research and Ecotech nephelometers for which no detailed response characteristics exist. Intercomparisons of the nephelometers measuring urban atmospheric aerosols yield average deviations of the slope from a 1:1 relation with a TSI reference nephelometer of less than 7%. Average intercepts range between +0.53 and -0.19 Mm-1. For the Radiance Research and Ecotech nephelometers ambient regressions of the Radiance Research and Ecotech instruments with the TSI nephelometer show larger negative intercepts, which are attributed to their less well characterized optics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]