Vertical Variation of Optical Properties of Mixed Asian Dust/Pollution Plumes According to Pathway of Airmass Transport Over East Asia

We use five years (2009 – 2013) of multiwavelength Raman lidar measurements at Gwangju, Korea (35.10° N, 126.53° E) for the identification of changes of optical properties of East Asian dust in dependence of its transport path over China. Profiles of backscatter and extinction coefficients, lidar ratios, and backscatter-related Ångström exponents (wavelength pair 355/532nm) were measured at Gwangju. Linear particle depolarization ratios were used to identify East Asian dust layers. We used backward trajectory modelling to identify the pathway and the vertical position of dust-laden air masses over China during long-range transport. Most cases of Asian dust events can be described by the emission of dust in desert areas and subsequent transport over highly polluted regions of China. The Asian dust plumes could be categorized into two classes according to the height above ground in which these plumes were transported: (I) the dust layers passed over China at high altitude levels until arrival over Gwangju, and (II) the Asian dust layers were transported near the surface and the lower troposphere over industrialized areas before they arrived over Gwangju. We find that the optical characteristics of these mixed Asian dust layers over Gwangju differ in dependence of their vertical position above ground over China and the change of height above ground during transport. The mean linear particle depolarization ratio was 0.21±0.06 (at 532 nm), the mean lidar ratios were 52±7 sr at 355 nm and 53±8 sr at 532 nm, and the mean Ångström exponent was 0.74±0.31 in case I. In contrast, plumes transported at lower altitudes (case II) showed low depolarization ratios, and higher lidar ratio and Ångström exponents. The mean linear particle depolarization ratio was 0.13 ± 0.04, the mean lidar ratios were 63±9 sr at 355 nm and 62±8 sr at 532 nm, respectively, and the mean Ångström exponent was 0.98±0.51. These numbers show that the optical characteristics of mixed Asian plumes are more similar to optical characteristics of urban pollution

Vertical Variation of Optical Properties of Mixed Asian Dust/Pollution Plumes According to Pathway of Airmass Transport Over East Asia

We use five years (2009 – 2013) of multiwavelength Raman lidar measurements at Gwangju, Korea (35.10° N, 126.53° E) for the identification of changes of optical properties of East Asian dust in dependence of its transport path over China. Profiles of backscatter and extinction coefficients, lidar ratios, and backscatter-related Ångström exponents (wavelength pair 355/532nm) were measured at Gwangju. Linear particle depolarization ratios were used to identify East Asian dust layers. We used backward trajectory modelling to identify the pathway and the vertical position of dust-laden air masses over China during long-range transport. Most cases of Asian dust events can be described by the emission of dust in desert areas and subsequent transport over highly polluted regions of China. The Asian dust plumes could be categorized into two classes according to the height above ground in which these plumes were transported: (I) the dust layers passed over China at high altitude levels until arrival over Gwangju, and (II) the Asian dust layers were transported near the surface and the lower troposphere over industrialized areas before they arrived over Gwangju. We find that the optical characteristics of these mixed Asian dust layers over Gwangju differ in dependence of their vertical position above ground over China and the change of height above ground during transport. The mean linear particle depolarization ratio was 0.21±0.06 (at 532 nm), the mean lidar ratios were 52±7 sr at 355 nm and 53±8 sr at 532 nm, and the mean Ångström exponent was 0.74±0.31 in case I. In contrast, plumes transported at lower altitudes (case II) showed low depolarization ratios, and higher lidar ratio and Ångström exponents. The mean linear particle depolarization ratio was 0.13 ± 0.04, the mean lidar ratios were 63±9 sr at 355 nm and 62±8 sr at 532 nm, respectively, and the mean Ångström exponent was 0.98±0.51. These numbers show that the optical characteristics of mixed Asian plumes are more similar to optical characteristics of urban pollution

Vertical Variation of Optical Properties of Mixed Asian Dust/Pollution Plumes According to Pathway of Airmass Transport Over East Asia

We use five years (2009 – 2013) of multiwavelength Raman lidar measurements at Gwangju, Korea (35.10° N, 126.53° E) for the identification of changes of optical properties of East Asian dust in dependence of its transport path over China. Profiles of backscatter and extinction coefficients, lidar ratios, and backscatter-related Ångström exponents (wavelength pair 355/532nm) were measured at Gwangju. Linear particle depolarization ratios were used to identify East Asian dust layers. We used backward trajectory modelling to identify the pathway and the vertical position of dust-laden air masses over China during long-range transport. Most cases of Asian dust events can be described by the emission of dust in desert areas and subsequent transport over highly polluted regions of China. The Asian dust plumes could be categorized into two classes according to the height above ground in which these plumes were transported: (I) the dust layers passed over China at high altitude levels until arrival over Gwangju, and (II) the Asian dust layers were transported near the surface and the lower troposphere over industrialized areas before they arrived over Gwangju. We find that the optical characteristics of these mixed Asian dust layers over Gwangju differ in dependence of their vertical position above ground over China and the change of height above ground during transport. The mean linear particle depolarization ratio was 0.21±0.06 (at 532 nm), the mean lidar ratios were 52±7 sr at 355 nm and 53±8 sr at 532 nm, and the mean Ångström exponent was 0.74±0.31 in case I. In contrast, plumes transported at lower altitudes (case II) showed low depolarization ratios, and higher lidar ratio and Ångström exponents. The mean linear particle depolarization ratio was 0.13 ± 0.04, the mean lidar ratios were 63±9 sr at 355 nm and 62±8 sr at 532 nm, respectively, and the mean Ångström exponent was 0.98±0.51. These numbers show that the optical characteristics of mixed Asian plumes are more similar to optical characteristics of urban pollution

Lidar measurements of Raman scattering at ultraviolet wavelength from mineral dust over East Asia

We developed a novel measurement channel that utilizes Raman scattering from silicon dioxide (SiO(2)) quartz at an ultraviolet wavelength (361 nm). The excitation of the Raman signals is done at the primary wavelength of 355 nm emitted from a lidar instrument. In combination with Raman signals from scattering from nitrogen molecules, we may infer the mineral-quartz-related backscatter coefficient. This technique thus allows us to identify in a comparably direct way the mineral quartz content in mixed pollution plumes that consist, e. g., of a mix of desert dust and urban pollution. We tested the channel for the complex situation of East Asian pollution. We find good agreement of the inferred mineral-quartz-related backscatter coefficient to results obtained with another mineral quartz channel which was operated at 546 nm (primary emission wavelength at 532 nm), the functionality of which has already been shown for a lidar system in Tsukuba (Japan). The advantage of the novel channel is that it provides a better signal-to-noise ratio because of the shorter measurement wavelength. (c) 2011 Optical Society of AmericaPeer reviewe