Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net 1680-7367 1680-7375 7 1 2007 10.5194/acpd-7-537-2007 http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/7/537/2007/ http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/7/537/2007/acpd-7-537-2007.html http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/7/537/2007/acpd-7-537-2007.pdf 537 567 2007-01-15 Nine years of UV aerosol optical depth measurements at Thessaloniki, Greece S. Kazadzis skazan@auth.gr A. Bais V. Amiridis D. Balis C. Meleti N. Kouremeti C. S. Zerefos S. Rapsomanikis M. Petrakakis A. Kelesis P. Tzoumaka K. Kelektsoglou Laboratory of Atmospheric Physics, Physics Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus Box 149, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece Institute for Space Applications and Remote Sensing, National Observatory of Athens, Athen, Greece University Athens, Fac. Geol Geoenvironment, Climatology Lab., Athen, Greece Democritus University Thrace, Department of Environmental Engnineering, Xanthi, Greece Municipal Thessaloniki, Department of Environment, Thessaloniki, Greece Spectral measurements of the aerosol optical depth (AOD) and the Angstrom coefficient were conducted at Thessaloniki, Greece (40.5° N, 22.9° E) between January 1997 and December 2005 with a Brewer MKIII double-monochromator spectroradiometer. The dataset was compared with collocated measurements of a second spectroradiometer (Brewer MKII) and a CIMEL sun-photometer, showing correlations of 0.93 and 0.98 respectively. A seasonal variation of the AOD was observed at Thessaloniki, with AOD values at 340 nm of 0.52 and 0.28 for August and December respectively. Back trajectories of air masses for up to 4 days were used to assess the influence of long-range transport from various regions to the aerosol load over Thessaloniki. 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