Author: Alexander V. Matus
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 184
Get Book Here
Book Description
Atmospheric aerosols impact the global energy budget by scattering and absorbing solar radiation. Despite their impacts, aerosols remain a significant source of uncertainty in our ability to predict future climate. Multi-sensor observations from the A-Train satellite constellation provide valuable observational constraints necessary to reduce uncertainties in model simulations of aerosol direct effects. This study will discuss recent efforts to quantify aerosol direct effects globally and regionally using CloudSat's radiative fluxes and heating rates product. Improving upon previous techniques, this approach leverages the capability of CloudSat and CALIPSO to retrieve vertically resolved estimates of cloud and aerosol properties critical for accurately evaluating the radiative impacts of aerosols. We estimate the global annual mean aerosol direct effect to be -1.9 ± 0.6 W/m2, which is in better agreement with previously published estimates from global models than previous satellite-based estimates. Detailed comparisons against a fully coupled simulation of the Community Earth System Model, however, reveal that this agreement on the global annual mean masks large regional discrepancies between modeled and observed estimates of aerosol direct effects related to model biases in cloud cover. A low bias in stratocumulus cloud cover over the southeastern Pacific Ocean, for example, leads to an overestimate of the radiative effects of marine aerosols. Stratocumulus clouds over the southeastern Atlantic Ocean can enhance aerosol absorption by 50% allowing aerosol layers to remain self-lofted in an area of subsidence. Aerosol heating is found to peak at 0.6 ± 0.3 K/day an altitude of 4 km in September when biomass burning reaches a maximum. Finally, the contributions of observed aerosols components are evaluated to estimate the direct radiative forcing of anthropogenic aerosols. Aerosol forcing is computed using satellite-based radiative kernels that describe the sensitivity of shortwave fluxes in response to aerosol optical depth. The direct radiative forcing is estimated to be -0.21 W/m2 with the largest contributions from pollution that is partially offset by a positive forcing from smoke aerosols. The results from these analyses provide new benchmarks on the global radiative effects of aerosols and offer new insights for improving future assessments.
Author: Erica J. Alston
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Air
Languages : en
Pages :
Get Book Here
Book Description
Tropospheric aerosol information from NASA satellites in space has reached the milestone of ten years of continuous measurements. These higher resolution satellite aerosol records allow for a broader regional perspective than can be gained using only sparsely located ground based monitoring sites. Decadal satellite aerosol data have the potential to advance knowledge of the climatic impacts of aerosols through better understanding of solar dimming/brightening and radiative forcings on regional scales, as well as aid in air quality applications. The goal of this thesis is to develop and implement methodologies for using satellite remotely sensed data in conjunction with ground based observations and modeling for characterization of regional aerosol variations with applications to air quality and climate studies in the Southeastern U.S. This region is of special interest because of distinct aerosol types, less warming climate trends compared to the rest of U.S., and growing population. To support this primary goal, a technique is developed that exploits the statistical relationship between PM2.5 (particulate matter that has an aerodynamic radius of 2.5 æm or less) and satellite AOD (Aerosol Optical Depth) from MODIS (Moderate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) where a probabilistic approach is used for air quality assessments in the metropolitan Atlanta area. The metropolitan Atlanta area experiences the poorest air quality during the warmer seasons. We found that satellite AODs capture a significant portion of PM2.5 concentration variability during the warmer months of the year with correlation values above 0.5 for a majority of co-located (in time and space) ground based PM2.5 monitors, which is significant at the 95% confidence interval. The developed probabilistic approach uses five years of satellite AOD, PM2.5 and their related AQI (Air Quality Index) to predict future AQI based solely on AOD retrievals through the use of AOD thresholds, e.g., 80% of Code Green AQI days have AOD below 0.3. This approach has broad applicability for concerned stakeholders in that it allows for quick dissemination of pertinent air quality data in near-real time around a satellite overpass. Examination of the use of multiple satellite sensors to aid in investigating the impacts of biomass burning in the region is performed. The utility of data fusion is evaluated in understanding the effects of the large wildfire that burned in May 2007. This wildfire caused PM2.5 in the metropolitan Atlanta area to exceed healthy levels with some measurements surpassing 150 æg/m3 during the month. OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument) AI (Aerosol Index), which qualitatively measures absorbing aerosols, have high values of more than 1.5 during May 26 - 31, 2007. CALIPSO (Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations) a space based lidar was used to determine the vertical structure of the atmosphere across the region during the active fire period. CALIPSO was able to identify wildfire aerosols both within the planetary boundary layer (likely affects local air quality) and aloft where aerosol transport occurs. This has important implications for climatic studies specifically aerosol radiative effects. In-depth analysis of the satellite and ground based aerosol data records over the past decade (2000 - 2009) are performed from a climatic perspective. The long temporal scale allowed for better characterization of seasonality, interannual variability, and trends. Spatial analysis of ten years of AOD from both MODIS and MISR (Multi-angle Imaging Spectroradiometer) showed little variability of AOD during the winter with mean AOD below 0.1 for the entire region, while the summer had decidedly more variability with mean AOD around 0.33 for MODIS and 0.3 for MISR. Seasonal analysis of the PM2.5 revealed that summer means are twice as high as winter means for PM2.5. All of the datasets show interannual variability that suggests with time AOD and PM2.5 are decreasing, but seasonal variability obscured the detection of any appreciable trends in AOD; however, once the seasonal influence was removed through the creation of monthly anomalies there were decreasing trends in AOD, but only MODIS had a trend of -0.00434 (per month) that statistically significant at the 95% confidence level. Satellite and ground-based data are used to assess the radiative impacts of aerosols in the region. The regional TOA (Top Of the Atmosphere) direct radiative forcing is estimated by utilizing satellite AOD from MODIS and MISR both on Terra, along with satellite derived cloud fraction, surface albedo (both from MODIS), and single scattering albedo (SSA) from MISR data from 2000 - 2009. Estimated TOA forcing varied from between - 6 to -3 W/m2 during the winter, and during the warmer months there is more variation with [delta]F varying between -28 to -12.6 W/m2 for MODIS and -26 to -11 W/m2 for MISR. The results suggest that when AOD, cloud fraction and surface albedo are all consider they add an additional 6 W/m2 of TOA forcing compared to TOA forcing due to aerosol effects only. Varying SSA can create changes in TOA forcing of about 5 W/m2. With removal of the seasonal variability timeseries anomaly trend analysis revealed that estimated TOA forcing is decreasing (becoming less negative) with MODIS based estimates statistically significant at the 95% confidence level. Optical and radiative 1-D radiative transfer modeling is performed to assess the daily mean TOA forcing and forcing at the surface for representative urban and background aerosol mixtures for summer and winter. During the winter, modeled TOA forcing is -2.8 and -5 W/m2 for the WB and WU cases, and the modeled summer TOA forcings (SB = -13.3 W/m2) also generally agree with earlier estimates. While surface forcings varied from -3 to -210 W/m2. The radiative forcing efficiency at the TOA (amount of forcing per unit of AOD at 550 nm) varied from -9 to - 72 W/m2 [tau]-1, and RFE at the surface varied from -50 to -410 W/m2 [tau]-1. It was found that the forcing efficiency for biomass burning aerosols are similar to the forcing efficiency of background aerosols during the summer that highlights the importance of possible increased biomass burning activity. Ultimately, the methodologies developed in this work can be implemented by the remote sensing community and have direct applicability for society as a whole.
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309133505
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 222
Get Book Here
Book Description
Changes in climate are driven by natural and human-induced perturbations of the Earth's energy balance. These climate drivers or "forcings" include variations in greenhouse gases, aerosols, land use, and the amount of energy Earth receives from the Sun. Although climate throughout Earth's history has varied from "snowball" conditions with global ice cover to "hothouse" conditions when glaciers all but disappeared, the climate over the past 10,000 years has been remarkably stable and favorable to human civilization. Increasing evidence points to a large human impact on global climate over the past century. The report reviews current knowledge of climate forcings and recommends critical research needed to improve understanding. Whereas emphasis to date has been on how these climate forcings affect global mean temperature, the report finds that regional variation and climate impacts other than temperature deserve increased attention.
Author: Jacqueline Lenoble
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3642177255
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 423
Get Book Here
Book Description
This book gives a much needed explanation of the basic physical principles of radiative transfer and remote sensing, and presents all the instruments and retrieval algorithms in a homogenous manner. The editors provide, for the first time, an easy path from theory to practical algorithms in one easily accessible volume, making the connection between theoretical radiative transfer and individual practical solutions to retrieve aerosol information from remote sensing, and providing the specifics and intercomparison of all current and historical retrieval methods.
Author: Panel on Aerosol Radiative Forcing and Climate Change
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309588871
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 180
Get Book Here
Book Description
This book recommends the initiation of an "integrated" research program to study the role of aerosols in the predicted global climate change. Current understanding suggest that, even now, aerosols, primarily from anthropogenic sources, may be reducing the rate of warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to specific research recommendations, this book forcefully argues for two kinds of research program integration: integration of the individual laboratory, field, and theoretical research activities and an integrated management structure that involves all of the concerned federal agencies.
Author: Tanvir Islam
Publisher: Elsevier
ISBN: 0128104384
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 366
Get Book Here
Book Description
Remote Sensing of Aerosols, Clouds, and Precipitation compiles recent advances in aerosol, cloud, and precipitation remote sensing from new satellite observations. The book examines a wide range of measurements from microwave (both active and passive), visible, and infrared portions of the spectrum. Contributors are experts conducting state-of-the-art research in atmospheric remote sensing using space, airborne, and ground-based datasets, focusing on supporting earth observation satellite missions for aerosol, cloud, and precipitation studies. A handy reference for scientists working in remote sensing, earth science, electromagnetics, climate physics, and space engineering. Valuable for operational forecasters, meteorologists, geospatial experts, modelers, and policymakers alike. - Presents new approaches in the field, along with further research opportunities, based on the latest satellite data - Focuses on how remote sensing systems can be designed/developed to solve outstanding problems in earth and atmospheric sciences - Edited by a dynamic team of editors with a mixture of highly skilled and qualified authors offering world-leading expertise in the field
Author: Juli Irene Rubin
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 426
Get Book Here
Book Description
Global-scale atmospheric models play an important role in predicting atmospheric aerosol and the corresponding radiative forcing. Although atmospheric models are important tools, there is large uncertainty associated with aerosol predictions due to uncertainty in aerosol representation within the models. As a result, aerosols and their influence on the Earth's energy balance are considered one of the largest uncertainties in understanding climate change. Given the importance of simulating aerosol for understanding global climate change, it is evident that alternative methods are needed to reduce the effect of the uncertainties associated with aerosol representation and enhance the fidelity of the aerosol models. The goal of this research is to produce aerosol fields with reduced uncertainty by constraining model predictions with observations, using a technique known as data assimilation. The results from the aerosol assimilation are used to investigate aerosol sources, lifetime, and shortwave radiative forcing. Two new aerosol data assimilations are presented as part of this work with both assimilations making use of an Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) and the National Center for Atmospheric Research's (NCAR) community atmosphere model (CAM) with 60 ensemble members. The first assimilation involves the joint adjustment of the amount of atmospheric aerosol and the relative amount of fine and coarse aerosol using observations of aerosol optical depth (AOD) and angstrom exponent from NASA's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). Both the amount and relative contribution of fine and coarse aerosol were identified as key parameters for determining aerosol radiative forcing and, therefore, accurately determining these parameters is desirable. The second assimilation presented as part of this work is similar to the first with the addition of a vertical redistribution of coarse aerosol using vertical extinction observations from NASA's Cloud-Aerosol LIDAR and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) satellite. Studies have shown that the atmospheric lifetime of aerosol is tightly coupled to the vertical profile, therefore, it is expected that vertical adjustments will further reduce aerosol uncertainty, especially in coarse aerosol. Similar to aerosol amount and size, lifetime is important for properly quantifying radiative forcing as it determines the time an aerosol has to impact the climate and influences the horizontal distribution of aerosol that is highly heterogenous in space and time. The two presented assimilations are run for the year 2007 and results are compared against a control run simulation as well observations of AOD, angstrom exponent, and fine aerosol contributions from MODIS and NASA's Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET). Through the comparison, it is demonstrated that the presented assimilations are able to reduce the model bias with an increase in the predicted aerosol optical depth. The globally averaged control run AOD prediction for 2007 is 0.086(± 0.06). The globally average AOD predictions for the amount and size assimilation and vertical assimilation are 0.115(± 0.05), 0.140(± 0.05), respectively. This is compared to globally averaged MODIS observations of 0.161(± 0.09). Over-ocean averaged angstrom exponent predictions from the control run are 0.65(± 0.35) while the size and amount and vertical assimilation predictions are 0.68 (± 0.15) and 0.66 (± 0.15), respectively. This is compared to globally averaged MODIS observations of 0.65(± 0.30). While it is difficult to determine improvements in angstrom exponent predictions based on the global average, clear reductions in regional biases were observed. Aerosol predictions are also compared to ground-based AERONET observations by site category, including desert dust, biomass burning, rural, industrial pollution, polluted marine, and dirty pollution. While the rural sites have statistically similar averaged AOD values across simulations, improvements are found for the other site categories in the assimilation runs with higher average AOD values and greater temporal variability. In addition to AOD comparison, the predicted amount of AOD due to fine aerosol is compared to AERONET observations by site category. The greatest reduction in bias is observed for polluted marine sites with the assimilation runs predicting a smaller fine aerosol contribution than the control simulation. Size-related observations are concentrated over ocean regions, therefore, the greatest impact of the assimilation with respect to size is expected for marine sites. Additionally, the positive bias in fine aerosol contribution predicted at dusty sites is reduced the most in the vertical assimilation with dust being mostly coarse in size. The adjustments to the vertical profile of coarse aerosol in the vertical assimilation further reduce bias for coarse dominated sites. The results of the assimilation are used to quantify the contribution of anthropogenic aerosol to AOD. Globally averaged, the anthropogenic contribution to AOD is 38.8 percent for the control simulation, 47.6 percent for the amount and size assimilation and 49.5 percent from the vertical assimilation. These results are comparable to previously published anthropogenic AOD percentages which range from 41 to 72 percent (IPCC 2007). Additionally, aerosol loss processes and lifetime are analyzed. The dominant loss processes are condensational growth for nucleation mode aerosol (fine, 1 & mum). The longest aerosol lifetimes are found in the vertical assimilation with most aerosol species showing better comparison to reported AEROCOM lifetimes, except for sulfate. In particular, the lifetimes of coarse mode dust and sea salt increased in the vertical adjustment assimilation, reducing the negative aerosol optical depth bias, especially in dusty regions. The predicted sulfate lifetime is double the reported AEROCOM value and may be the cause of some positive AOD bias regions in the Northern hemisphere predicted in the model runs. The solar direct radiative forcing (DRE) is calculated using the predicted aerosol fields with the DRE including the effects of both anthropogenic and natural aerosol. Uncertainties in DRE for the assimilation runs are determined using the 60 member ensemble spread. Globally averaged DRE values are -1.9 W/m2, -5.2(± 0.51) W/m2, and -7.2(± 0.94) W/m2, for the control, amount and size and vertical assimilation, respectively. The predicted DRE from the amount and size assimilation compares the best to previously published estimates. Additionally, the calculated anthropogenic contribution to AOD is used in conjunction with the DRE estimates to calculate shortwave anthropogenic direct radiative forcing estimates with predicted values of -0.77, -2.3(± 0.64) and -3.2(± 0.7) W/m2 for the control, amount and size assimilation and vertical assimilation, respectively.
Author: Jeffrey S. Gaffney
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 392
Get Book Here
Book Description
Urban aerosols have been identified as important species of concern due to their potential health and environmental impacts. This symposium series book will describe the basic chemistry and physics determining the impacts of aerosol species and will highlight the research results from the measurements that were taken following the collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC) on 9/11/01. The WTC tragedy led to the release of millions of pounds of debris aside from the structural steel, part of which was widely dissipated as aerosols and particulates in the debris cloud over lower Manhattan. Additionally, continuing fires under the debris led to the release of fine combustion related aerosols for a considerable time period in this urban environment. Held during the week of the second anniversary of the WTC tragedy in NYC, the symposium book will describe various aspects of the event, aerosol and gas exposures, and the related impacts of these aerosols. The book contributions will highlight efforts work from atmospheric chemists, meteorologists, health workers, and biologists for a timely compilation of what is known and not known about the composition and transport of tropospheric aerosols in urban environs, particularly those from the WTC collapse. Particular interest is in the acute and chronic environmental effects of these aerosols as they impact human health. Chapters included in the book will also address aerosol lifetimes, aerosol transport and removal processes, acute and chronic health effects to fine aerosol and particulate exposures, and the environmental impacts of aerosols.
Author: Lorenzo Costantino
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 396
Get Book Here
Book Description
The aim of this work is to provide a comprehensive analysis of cloud and aerosol interaction over South-East Atlantic, to quantify the overall aerosol impact on the regional radiation budget. We used data from MODIS, PARASOL and CALIPSO satellites, that fly in close proximity on the same sun-synchronous orbit and allow for complementary observations of the same portion of the atmosphere, within a few minutes. The main idea is to use CALIPSO vertical information to define whether or not aerosol and cloud layers observed by MODIS and PARASOL are mixed and interacting. We found evidences that, in case of interaction, cloud properties are strongly influenced by aerosol presence (first indirect effect). In particular, there is a decrease in cloud droplet effective radius and liquid water path with aerosol enhancement. On the other hand, we could not evidence any significant impact on the cloud reflectance. We also analyzed the aerosol impact on precipitation (second indirect effect). In polluted low clouds over the ocean, we found evidence of precipitation suppression and cloud cover increase with increasing aerosol concentration. On the other hand, cloud fraction is shown to be affected by aerosol presence, even if pollution particles are located above cloud top, without physical interaction. This observation is interpreted as a consequence of the aerosol radiative effect. Aerosol shortwave direct (DRF) and indirect (IRF) radiative forcing at TOA has been quantified, with the use of a radiative transfer model constrained by satellite observations. For the direct effect, there is a competition between cooling (negative, due to light scattering by the aerosols) and warming (positive, due to the absorption by the same particles). The six year (2005-2010) mean estimate is equal to -0.07 (DRF) and -0.05 (IRF) W/m2. The resulting total aerosol forcing is negative (cooling) and equal to -0.12 W/m2.
Author: Alexander A. Kokhanovsky
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 9783540865513
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 388
Get Book Here
Book Description
Aerosols have a significant influence on the Earth's radiation budget, but there is considerable uncertainty about the magnitude of their effect on the Earth's climate. Currently, satellite remote sensing is being increasingly utilized to improve our understanding of the effect of atmospheric aerosols on the climate system. Satellite Aerosol Remote Sensing Over Land is the only book that brings together in one volume the most up-to-date research and advances in this discipline. As well as describing the current academic theory, the book presents practical applications, utilizing state-of-the-art instrumentation, invaluable to the work of environmental scientists. With contributions by an international group of experts and leaders of correspondent aerosol retrieval groups, the book is an essential tool for all those working in the field of climate change.
