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Desert Dust Aerosol Air Mass Mapping in the Western Sahara, Using Particle Properties Derived from Space-Based Multi-Angle ImagingCoincident observations made over the Moroccan desert during the Sahara mineral dust experiment (SAMUM) 2006 field campaign are used both to validate aerosol amount and type retrieved from multi-angle imaging spectroradiometer (MISR) observations, and to place the suborbital aerosol measurements into the satellite s larger regional context. On three moderately dusty days during which coincident observations were made, MISR mid-visible aerosol optical thickness (AOT) agrees with field measurements point-by-point to within 0.05 0.1. This is about as well as can be expected given spatial sampling differences; the space-based observations capture AOT trends and variability over an extended region. The field data also validate MISR s ability to distinguish and to map aerosol air masses, from the combination of retrieved constraints on particle size, shape and single-scattering albedo. For the three study days, the satellite observations (1) highlight regional gradients in the mix of dust and background spherical particles, (2) identify a dust plume most likely part of a density flow and (3) show an aerosol air mass containing a higher proportion of small, spherical particles than the surroundings, that appears to be aerosol pollution transported from several thousand kilometres away.
Document ID
20110007295
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Kahn, Ralph
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Petzold, Andreas
(Institute for Atmospheric Physics Germany)
Wendisch, Manfred
(Institute for Atmospheric Physics Germany)
Bierwirth, Eike
(Institute for Atmospheric Physics Germany)
Dinter, Tilman
(Bremen Univ. Germany)
Esselborn, Michael
(Institute for Atmospheric Physics Germany)
Fiebig, Marcus
(Norwegian Inst. for Air Research Kjeller, Norway)
Heese, Birgit
(Leibniz Inst. for Tropospheric Research Leipzig, Germany)
Knippertz, Peter
(Institute for Atmospheric Physics Germany)
Mueller, Detlef
(Leibniz Inst. for Tropospheric Research Leipzig, Germany)
Schladitz, Alexander
(Leibniz Inst. for Tropospheric Research Leipzig, Germany)
Von Hoyningen-Huene, Wolfgang
(Bremen Univ. Germany)
Date Acquired
August 25, 2013
Publication Date
September 18, 2008
Publication Information
Publication: Tellus B
Volume: 61
Issue: 1
Subject Category
Earth Resources And Remote Sensing
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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