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Assessment of Clear Sky Radiative Forcing in the Caribbean Region Using an Aerosol Dispersion Model and Ground Radiometry During Puerto Rico Dust ExperimentThis study investigates the surface and top of the atmosphere solar radiative forcing by long-range transport of Saharan dust. The calculations of radiative forcing are based on measurements collected in the Puerto Rico Dust Experiment (PRIDE) carried out during July, 2000. The purpose of the experiment was the characterization of the Saharan dust plume, which frequently reaches the Caribbean region during the summer. The experiment involved the use of three approaches to study the plume: space and ground based remote sensing, airborne and ground based in-situ measurements and aerosol dispersion modeling. The diversity of measuring platforms provides an excellent opportunity for determination of the direct effect of dust on the clear sky radiative forcing. Specifically, comparisons of heating rates, surface and TOA fluxes derived from the Navy global aerosol dispersion model NAAPS (NRL Aerosol Analysis and Prediction System) and actual measurements of fluxes from ground and space based platforms are shown. In addition, the direct effect of dust on the clear sky radiative forcing is modeled. The extent and time of evolution of the radiative properties of the plume are computed with the aerosol concentrations modeled by NAAPS. Standard aerosol parameterizations, as well as in-situ composition and size distributions measured during PRIDE, are utilized to compute the aerosol optical depth, single scattering albedo and asymmetry factor. Radiative transfer computations are done with an in-house modified spectral radiative transfer code (Fu-Liou). The code includes gas absorption and cloud particles (ice and liquid phase) and it allows the input of meteorological data. The code was modified to include modules for the aerosols contribution to the calculated fluxes. This comparison study helps to narrow the current uncertainty in the dust direct radiative forcing, as recently reported in the 2001 IPCC assessment.
Document ID
20040074451
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Gasso, Santiago
(Maryland Univ. Baltimore County Catonsville, MD, United States)
Qi, Qiang
(Science Systems and Applications, Inc. Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Westpthal, Douglas
(Naval Research Lab. Monterey, CA, United States)
Reid, Jeffery
(Naval Research Lab. Monterey, CA, United States)
Tsay, Si-Chee
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2004
Subject Category
Space Radiation
Meeting Information
Meeting: AGU Fall 2003 Meeting
Location: San Francisco, CA
Country: United States
Start Date: December 8, 2003
End Date: December 12, 2003
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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