Measurements of Saharan dust aerosols over the eastern Mediterranean using elastic backscatter-Raman lidar, spectrophotometric and satellite observations in the frame of the EARLINET project

We report on the vertical distributions of Saharan dust aerosols over the N.E. Mediterranean region, which were obtained during a typical dust outbreak on August 2000, by two lidar systems located in Athens and Thessaloniki, Greece, in the frame of the European EARLINET project. MODIS and ground sun spectrophotometric data, as well as air-mass backward trajectories confirmed the existence of Saharan dust in the case examined, which was also successfully forecasted by the DREAM dust model. The lidar data analysis for the period 2000-2002 made possible, for the first time, an estimation of the vertical extent of free tropospheric dust layers [mean values of the aerosol backscatter and extinction coefficients and the extinction-to-backscatter ratio (lidar ratio, LR) at 355 nm], as well as a seasonal distribution of Saharan dust outbreaks over Greece, under cloud-free conditions. A mean value of the lidar ratio at 355 nm was obtained over Athens (53±1 sr) and over Thessaloniki (44±2 sr) during the Saharan dust outbreaks. The corresponding aerosol optical thickness (AOT) at 355 nm, in the altitude range 0-5 km, was 0.69±0.12 and 0.65±0.10 for Athens and Thessaloniki, respectively (within the dust layer the AOT was 0.23 and 0.21, respectively). Air-mass back-trajectory analysis performed in the period 2000-2002 for all Saharan dust outbreaks over the N.E. Mediterranean indicated the main pathways followed by the dust aerosols. © 2005 Author(s). This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License

Chemical composition of atmospheric particulate matter soluble fraction and meteorological variables in São Paulo state, Brazil Composição química da fração solúvel do material particulado atmosférico e variáveis meteorológicas no estado de São Paulo, Brasil

The objective of this work was to characterize and compare the chemical composition of the PM10 soluble fraction in relation to meteorological variables such as wind direction and air masses backward trajectories. The PM10 was collected during winter of 1999 in two contrasting sites: the São Paulo city and the State Park of Serra do Mar (Cunha) inside the Atlantic Forest Reserve. The aqueous extracts of PM10 were analyzed by Ion Chromatography for major ions (Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, NH4+, Cl-, NO3-, SO4(2-)) and by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) for trace elements (Al, Mn, Fe, Pb, Zn, etc.). In São Paulo, the dominant chemical species were SO4(2-), NO3-, NH4+, Zn, Fe, Al, Ba, Cu, Pb, Mn and Ni while in Cunha, Na+, K+, Cl-, SO4(2-), Zn and Ni were dominant. The chemical composition related to the wind direction during sampling reflected short-range influence due to soil occupation and anthropic activities.<br>Este trabalho teve como objetivo a caracterização e a comparação da composição química da fração solúvel do PM10, com variáveis meteorológicas, tais como, direção do vento e trajetórias de massas de ar. O PM10 foi coletado durante o inverno de 1999 em dois locais contrastantes: na cidade de São Paulo e no Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar (Cunha), Reserva de Mata Atlântica. Os extratos aquosos do PM10 foram analisados por Cromatografia de Íons para quantificação dos íons maiores (Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, NH4+, Cl-, NO3-, SO4(2-)) e por ICP-MS para quantificação dos elementos traço (Al, Mn, Fe, Pb, Zn, etc.). As espécies químicas que predominaram foram SO4(2-), NO3-, NH4+, Zn, Fe, Al, Ba, Cu, Pb, Mn e Ni em São Paulo, e Na+, K+, Cl-, SO4(2-), Zn e Ni em Cunha. A composição química relacionada com a direção do vento que prevaleceu durante a amostragem, refletiu um transporte de curta escala influenciado pela ocupação do solo e as atividades antrópicas