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Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., 12, 13363-13403, 2012
www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/12/13363/2012/ doi:10.5194/acpd-12-13363-2012 © Author(s) 2012. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. |
Profiling of fine and coarse particle mass: case studies of Saharan dust and Eyjafjallajökull/Grimsvötn volcanic plumes
1Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research, Leipzig, Germany
2Department of Applied Environmental Science, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
Abstract. The lidar-photometer method introduced to separate volcanic coarse-mode and fine-mode particle properties is extended to cover Saharan dust events as well. A review of recently published mass-specific extinction coefficients for Saharan dust and volcanic dust is presented. These mass-specific extinction coefficients are required in the retrieval of particle mass concentration profiles. Case studies of four different scenarios corroborate the applicability of the profiling technique: (a) Saharan dust outbreak to Central Europe, (b) Saharan dust plume mixed with biomass-burning smoke over Cape Verde, and volcanic aerosol layers originating from (c) the Eyjafjallajökull eruptions in 2010 and (d) the Grimsvötn eruptions in 2011. Strong differences in the vertical aerosol layering, aerosol mixing, and optical properties are observed for the different volcanic events.
Citation: Ansmann, A., Seifert, P., Tesche, M., and Wandinger, U.: Profiling of fine and coarse particle mass: case studies of Saharan dust and Eyjafjallajökull/Grimsvötn volcanic plumes, Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., 12, 13363-13403, doi:10.5194/acpd-12-13363-2012, 2012.