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Comparative Analysis of Aerosol Vertical Characteristics over the North China Plain Based on Multi-Source Observation Data

Authors :
Fei Wang
Zhanqing Li
Qi Jiang
Xinrong Ren
Hao He
Yahui Tang
Xiaobo Dong
Yele Sun
Russell R. Dickerson
Source :
Remote Sensing, Vol 16, Iss 4, p 609 (2024)
Publication Year :
2024
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2024.

Abstract

In this paper, multi-source observation, such as aircraft, ground-based remote sensing, and satellite-retrieved data, has been utilized to compare and analyze the vertical characteristics of aerosol optical properties and the planetary boundary layer height (HPBL) over the North China Plain (NCP) region during May–June 2016. Aircraft observations show the vertical profiles of aerosol absorption coefficients (σabs), scattering coefficients (σsca), and extinction coefficients (σext) gradually decrease with altitude, with their maximum values near HPBL. The vertical profiles of σext depended most on the vertical distribution of measured σsca, indicating a significant contribution of scattering aerosols. In addition, the prominent characteristic of the inverse relationship between σext and moisture profile could serve as a reference for predicting air quality in the NCP region. The lower layer pollution during the field experiment was likely caused by the accumulation of fine-mode aerosols, characterized by the vertical distribution of the Ångström exponent and the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) products. Typically, HPBL derived from aircraft and surface Micro Pulse Lidar (MPL) was approximate, while the predicted HPBL by meteorological data indicates an underestimation of ~192 m. Aerosol optical depth (AOD) calculated from aircraft and ground-based remote sensing (such as MPL and AERONET) experienced a strong correlation, and both of them exhibited a similar tendency. However, the AOD retrieved from satellites was significantly larger than that from aircraft and ground-based remote sensing. Overall, the inversion algorithm, cloud identification algorithm, representativeness of the space, and time of the observation may lead to an overestimation or underestimation of AOD under certain circumstances. This study may serve as a re-evaluation of AOD retrieved from multi-source observations and provide a reference to uncover the actual atmospheric environment in the NCP regions.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20724292
Volume :
16
Issue :
4
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Remote Sensing
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.3b33c54fc30d4b93877ab4cefcb02138
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16040609