Effects of systematic and random errors on the retrieval of particle microphysical properties from multiwavelength lidar measurements using inversion with regularization

In this work we study the effects of systematic and random errors on the inversion of multiwavelength (MW) lidar data using the well-known regularization technique to obtain vertically resolved aerosol microphysical properties. The software implementation used here was developed at the Physics Instrumentation Center (PIC) in Troitsk (Russia) in conjunction with the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center. Its applicability to Raman lidar systems based on backscattering measurements at three wavelengths (355, 532 and 1064 nm) and extinction measurements at two wavelengths (355 and 532 nm) has been demonstrated widely. The systematic error sensitivity is quantified by first determining the retrieved parameters for a given set of optical input data consistent with three different sets of aerosol physical parameters. Then each optical input is perturbed by varying amounts and the inversion is repeated. Using bimodal aerosol size distributions, we find a generally linear dependence of the retrieved errors in the microphysical properties on the induced systematic errors in the optical data. For the retrievals of effective radius, number/surface/volume concentrations and fine-mode radius and volume, we find that these results are not significantly affected by the range of the constraints used in inversions. But significant sensitivity was found to the allowed range of the imaginary part of the particle refractive index. Our results also indicate that there exists an additive property for the deviations induced by the biases present in the individual optical data. This property permits the results here to be used to predict deviations in retrieved parameters when multiple input optical data are biased simultaneously as well as to study the influence of random errors on the retrievals. The above results are applied to questions regarding lidar design, in particular for the spaceborne multiwavelength lidar under consideration for the upcoming ACE mission.This work was supported by the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology through projects CGL2010-18782 and CSD2007-00067, the Andalusian Regional Government through projects P10-RNM-6299 and P08-RNM-3568, the EU through ACTRIS project (EU INFRA-2010-1.1.16-262254) and the Postdoctoral Program of the University of Granada

Extreme Saharan dust event over the southern Iberian Peninsula in september 2007: active and passive remote sensing from surface and satellite

This study investigates aerosol optical properties during the extreme Saharan dust event detected from 3 to 7 September 2007 over Granada, southern Iberian Peninsula, with both active and passive remote sensing instrumentation from surface and satellite. The intensity of the event was visualized on the aerosol optical depth series obtained by the sun-photometer Cimel CE 318-4 operated at Granada in the framework of AERONET from August 2004 until December 2008 (level 2 data). A combination of large aerosol optical depth (0.86–1.50) at 500 nm, and reduced Angström exponent (0.1–0.25) in the range 440–870 nm, was detected on 6 September during daytime. This Saharan dust event also affected other Iberian Peninsula stations included in AERONET (El Arenosillo and Évora stations), and it was monitored by MODIS instrument on board Aqua satellite. Vertically resolved measurements were performed by a ground-based Raman Lidar and by CALIPSO satellite. During the most intense stage, on 6 September, maximum aerosol backscatter values were a factor of 8 higher than other maxima during this Saharan dust event. Values up to 1.5×10−2 km−1 sr−1 at 355 and 532 nm were detected in the layer with the greatest aerosol load between 3–4 km a.s.l., although aerosol particles were also detected up to 5.5 km a.s.l. In this stage of the event, dust particles at these altitudes showed a backscatter-related Angström exponent between –0.44 and 0.53 for the two spectral intervals considered. The results from different measurements (active/passive and ground-based/satellite) reveal the importance of performing multi-instrumental measurements to properly characterize the contribution of different aerosol types from different sources during extreme events. The atmospheric stabilization effect of the aerosol particles has been characterized by computing the solar heating rates using SBDART code.This work is supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education project CGL2007-66477-C02-01 and CSD2007-00067, by Andalusian Regional Government projects P06-RNM-01503 and P08-RNM-3568, and by the EARLINETASOS project (EU Coordination Action, contract No. 025991 (RICA))

P14 282. Endocarditis protésica. experiencia de 20 años

ObjetivosRevisamos la experiencia de nuestro centro en endocarditis protésica (EP).Material y métodosEntre 1990–2010, se intervienen 62 casos, que representaron el 23% de 276 casos totales de endocarditis y 2,46% de pacientes valvulares (precoces 0,58% con 20 casos, tardías 1,68% con 42 casos). No hubo diferencias en tipo ni localización de las prótesis, ni en incidencia entre las dos décadas (2,59% en 1990–2000 y 2,32% en 2000–2010). Edad media 59 años. Gérmenes: S. viridans 20,9%; S. epidermidis 16,1%; S. aureus 11,6%; C. burnetii 9,6%; enterococos 8%; difteroides 6,4%; hongos 6,4%. En un 8% de los casos se encontraron gérmenes raros aislados, mientras que no se identificó germen en 12,9%. Se intervinieron de forma urgente el 30% de pacientes (19 casos, el 45% de formas precoces y el 23% de formas tardías).ResultadosLa mortalidad precoz fue del 16%, a expensas sobre todo de EP precoz (12%). La supervivencia global a 10 años fue del 50%, con diferencias entre los dos grupos (EP precoz 15%; EP tardía 66%). El 70% de supervivientes se encuentra actualmente en clase funcional I-II/IV.ConclusiónLa EP sigue teniendo una incidencia relativamente elevada en nuestro medio. La EP precoz tiene una mortalidad muy elevada. La cirugía de la EP tardía tiene muy buenos resultados a largo plazo

Multi year aerosol characterization in the tropical Andes and in adjacent Amazonia using AERONET measurements

This work focuses on the analysis of columnar aerosol properties in the complex geophysical tropical region of South America within 10-20 South and 50-70 West. The region is quite varied and encompasses a significant part of Amazonia (lowlands) as well as high mountains in the Andes (highlands,~4000 m a.s.l.). Several AERONET stations were included to study the aerosol optical characteristics of the lowlands (Rio Branco, Ji Parana and Cuiaba in Brazil and Santa Cruz in Bolivia) and the highlands (La Paz, Bolivia) during the 2000-2014 period. Biomass-burning is by far the most important source of aerosol in the lowlands, particularly during the dry season (August-October). Multi-annual variability was investigated and showed very strong burning activity in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2010. This resulted in smoke characterized by correspondingly strong, above-average AODs (aerosol optical depths) and homogeneous single scattering albedo (SSA) across all the stations (~0.93). For other years, however, SSA differences arise between the northern stations (Rio Branco and Ji Parana) with SSAs of ~0.95 and the southern stations (Cuiaba and Santa Cruz) with lower SSAs of ~0.85.Such differences are explained by the different types of vegetation burned in the two different regions. In the highlands, however, the transport of biomass burning smoke is found to be sporadic in nature. This sporadicity results in highly variable indicators of aerosol load and type (Angstrom exponent and fine mode fraction) with moderately significant increases in both. Regional dust and local pollution are the background aerosol in this highland region, whose elevation places it close to the free troposphere. Transported smoke particles were generally found to be more optical absorbing than in the lowlands: the hypothesis to explain this is the significantly higher amount of water vapor in Amazonia relative to the high mountain areas. The air-mass transport to La Paz was investigated using the HYSPLIT air-concentration five-days back trajectories. Two different patterns were clearly differentiated: westerly winds from the Pacific that clean the atmosphere and easterly winds favoring the transport of particles from Amazonia.Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF) ACE_GFAT (grant agreement No 659398).European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under grant agreement No. 654109, ACTRIS-2

Implementation of UV rotational Raman channel to improve aerosol retrievals from multiwavelength lidar

Vibrational Raman effect is widely used in atmospheric lidar systems, but rotational Raman present several advantages. We have implemented a new setup in the ultraviolet branch of an existing multiwavelength lidar system to collect signal from rotational Raman lines of Oxygen and Nitrogen. We showed that, with an appropriate filter wavelength selection, the systematic error introduced in the particle optical properties due to temperature dependence was less than 4%. With this new setup, we have been able to retrieve aerosol extinction and backscatter coefficients profiles at 355 nm with 1-h time resolution during daytime and up to 1-min time resolution during nighttime.Grupo de Física de la Atmósfera (RNM119

EARLINET: Towards an advanced sustainable European aerosol lidar network

The European Aerosol Research Lidar Network, EARLINET, was founded in 2000 as a research project for establishing a quantitative, comprehensive, and statistically significant database for the horizontal, vertical, and temporal distribution of aerosols on a continental scale. Since then EARLINET has continued to provide the most extensive collection of ground-based data for the aerosol vertical distribution over Europe. This paper gives an overview of the network's main developments since 2000 and introduces the dedicated EARLINET special issue, which reports on the present innovative and comprehensive technical solutions and scientific results related to the use of advanced lidar remote sensing techniques for the study of aerosol properties as developed within the network in the last 13 years. Since 2000, EARLINET has developed greatly in terms of number of stations and spatial distribution: from 17 stations in 10 countries in 2000 to 27 stations in 16 countries in 2013. EARLINET has developed greatly also in terms of technological advances with the spread of advanced multiwavelength Raman lidar stations in Europe. The developments for the quality assurance strategy, the optimization of instruments and data processing, and the dissemination of data have contributed to a significant improvement of the network towards a more sustainable observing system, with an increase in the observing capability and a reduction of operational costs. Consequently, EARLINET data have already been extensively used for many climatological studies, long-range transport events, Saharan dust outbreaks, plumes from volcanic eruptions, and for model evaluation and satellite data validation and integration. Future plans are aimed at continuous measurements and near-real-time data delivery in close cooperation with other ground-based networks, such as in the ACTRIS (Aerosols, Clouds, and Trace gases Research InfraStructure Network) www.actris.net, and with the modeling and satellite community, linking the research community with the operational world, with the aim of establishing of the atmospheric part of the European component of the integrated global observing system

Four-dimensional distribution of the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull volcanic cloud over Europe observed by EARLINET

© Author(s) 2013. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.The eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallaj ökull in April-May 2010 represents a "natural experiment" to study the impact of volcanic emissions on a continental scale. For the first time, quantitative data about the presence, altitude, and layering of the volcanic cloud, in conjunction with optical information, are available for most parts of Europe derived from the observations by the European Aerosol Research Lidar NETwork (EARLINET). Based on multi-wavelength Raman lidar systems, EARLINET is the only instrument worldwide that is able to provide dense time series of high-quality optical data to be used for aerosol typing and for the retrieval of particle microphysical properties as a function of altitude. In this work we show the four-dimensional (4-D) distribution of the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic cloud in the troposphere over Europe as observed by EARLINET during the entire volcanic event (15 April-26 May 2010). All optical properties directly measured (backscatter, extinction, and particle linear depolarization ratio) are stored in the EARLINET database available at www.earlinet.org. A specific relational database providing the volcanic mask over Europe, realized ad hoc for this specific event, has been developed and is available on request at www.earlinet.org. During the first days after the eruption, volcanic particles were detected over Central Europe within a wide range of altitudes, from the upper troposphere down to the local planetary boundary layer (PBL). After 19 April 2010, volcanic particles were detected over southern and south-eastern Europe. During the first half of May (5-15 May), material emitted by the Eyjafjallajökull volcano was detected over Spain and Portugal and then over the Mediterranean and the Balkans. The last observations of the event were recorded until 25 May in Central Europe and in the Eastern Mediterranean area. The 4-D distribution of volcanic aerosol layering and optical properties on European scale reported here provides an unprecedented data set for evaluating satellite data and aerosol dispersion models for this kind of volcanic events.Peer reviewe

TP25 218. Asistencia circulatoria de larga duración. Experiencia inicial

ObjetivosSe presenta la experiencia inicial en nuestro centro en el uso de dispositivos de asistencia circulatoria mecánica de larga duración, tanto en pacientes adultos como pediátricos. Han sido utilizadas tanto como puente a trasplante como terapia de destino.Material y métodosRecogemos la experiencia sobre 4 pacientes, 3 pediátricos y uno adulto. Los pacientes pediátricos fueron todos de sexo masculino, con una media de edad de 5,5 años. La etiología fue diferente en cada caso (coronaria izquierda anómala, miocardiopatía dilatada idiopática y miocarditis), recibiendo una asistencia de flujo pulsátil (1 ventricular izquierda y 2 biventriculares) como puente a trasplante. El paciente adulto es un varón de 72 años con una miocardiopatía hipertrófica con disfunción ventricular izquierda grave, utilizando una asistencia ventricular izquierda de flujo continuo con bomba magnética.ResultadosEncontramos un 100% de supervivencia. Los 3 pacientes pediátricos recibieron un tiempo medio de asistencia de 142 días (91–247), siendo los 3 trasplantados con éxito. Uno de ellos precisó de oxigenador de membrana extracorpórea (ECMO) postrasplante, siendo retirada en 7 días. Todos fueron dados de alta del hospital. Al año, uno de los pacientes ha fallecido, sobreviviendo los otros dos. La complicación más frecuente fue el sangrado en el sitio de canulación. El paciente adulto sigue actualmente ingresado en el hospital y ha presentado como complicación principal una hemorragia cerebral con secuelas neurológicas.ConclusionesLa asistencia ventricular de larga duración es una terapia segura y efectiva en pacientes con cardiopatías terminales, ya sea como puente a trasplante, recuperación o terapia de destino

The REDMAAS 2014 intercomparison campaign: CPC, SMPS, UFPM and neutralizers

Ponencia presentada en:2nd Iberian Meeting on Aerosol Science and Technology (RICTA 2014) celebrado en Tarragona del 7 al 9 de julio de 2014.The Spanish network on environmental DMAs (Red Española de DMAs Ambientales, REDMAAS), working since 2010, is currently formed by six groups involved in the measurement of atmospheric aerosol size distributions by means of Differential Mobility Analyzers (DMAs). One of its activities is an annual intercomparison of mobility size spectrometers (SMPS and UFPM). In this work we show the results obtained in the 2014 campaign: the verification of DMA calibrations with latex, the results of the CPC and SMPS + UFPM intercomparisons, and a comparison of the new TSI 3087 X-ray and the former TSI 3077 85Kr neutralizers. The concentrations measured by different types of CPC were within the range of 10% of the average value. CPCs working at higher flow rates measured slightly higher concentrations, probably related to the smaller losses in the lines. All the SMPS worked at the same sampling and sheath flow rates (1:10 lpm). Four of the SMPS gave very good results for particles larger than 20 nm. The UFPM measured particle number concentrations in the average +/-10% band measured by the SMPS. Instruments working with the X-ray neutralizer measured higher concentrations than with the 85Kr neutralizers. This could mean that particle losses are smaller inside this neutralizer.This work has been financed by the Ministry of Science and Innovation (CGL2011-15008-E, CGL2010-1777, CGL2011-27020 & CGL2011-26259)