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Combining data from lidar and in situ instruments to characterize the vertical structure of aerosol optical propertiesOver the last decade, the quantification of tropospheric aerosol abundance, composition and radiative impacts has become an important research endeavor. For the most part, the interest in tropospheric aerosols is derived from questions related to the global and local (instantaneous) radiative forcing of climate due to these aerosols. One approach is to study local forcing under well-defined conditions, and to extrapolate such results to global scales. To estimate local aerosol forcing, appropriate radiative transfer models can be employed (e.g., the Fu-Liou radiative transfer code, [Fu and Liou, 1993]). In general, such models require information on derived aerosol properties [Toon, 1994]; namely the aerosol optical depth, single-scattering albedo, and asymmetry factor (phase function), all of which appear in the equations of radiative transfer. In this paper, we report on a method that utilizes lidar data and in situ aerosol size distribution measurements to deduce the vertical structure of the aerosol complex index of refraction in the near IR, thus identifying the aerosol type. Together with aerosol size distributions obtained in situ, the aerosol refractive index can be used to calculate the necessary derived aerosol properties. The data analyzed here were collected during NASA's PEM West-B (Pacific Exploratory Mission) experiment, which took place in February/March 1994. The platform for the measurements was the NASA DC-8 aircraft. The primary goal of the PEM West missions [Browell et al., 1996] was the assessment of potential anthropogenic perturbations of the chemistry in the Pacific Basin troposphere. For this purpose the timing of PEM West-B corresponded to the seasonal peak in transport from the Asian continent into the Pacific basin [Merrill et al., in press]. This period normally occurs during Northern Hemisphere spring, when the Japan jet is well developed.
Document ID
19980227594
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Redemann, J.
(California Univ. Los Angeles, CA United States)
Turco, R. P.
(California Univ. Los Angeles, CA United States)
Pueschel, R. F.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Browell, E. V.
(NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA United States)
Grant, W. B.
(NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA United States)
Date Acquired
August 18, 2013
Publication Date
July 1, 1998
Publication Information
Publication: Nineteenth International Laser Radar Conference
Subject Category
Environment Pollution
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF ATM-96-18425
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG2-344
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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