The Optical Properties of Aerosols at the Summit of Mount Tai in May and June and the Retrieval of the Complex Refractive Index
Open Access
- 18 June 2020
- journal article
- research article
- Published by MDPI AG in Atmosphere
- Vol. 11 (6), 655
- https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11060655
Abstract
To study the optical properties of background atmospheric aerosols in East China, we carried out observations of the physical, chemical and optical properties of atmospheric aerosols at the summit of Mount Tai (Mt. Tai, 1533.7 m above sea level) from 13 May to 25 June 2017. The results show that the average scattering coefficient ( ) at 550 nm of the aerosols at the summit of Mt. Tai is 40.3 Mm−1, and the average absorption coefficient ( ) at 550 nm is 16.0 Mm−1. The complex refractive index of aerosols is a key parameter for aerosol retrieval and modeling. There are few studies on the equivalent complex refractive index of aerosol in the Taishan area. We calculated the aerosol equivalent complex refractive index using the observed aerosol scattering coefficients, absorption coefficients and particle size distribution data, providing more data support for future modeling in this region. The real part (n) of the complex refractive index at 550 nm of aerosol ranges from 1.31 to 1.98 (mostly under 1.50), with an average value of 1.38, while the imaginary part (k) ranges from 0.014 to 0.251 (less than 0.10 for over 95% samples), with an average value of 0.040. The analysis of the n and k of the aerosol average complex refractive index shows that the scattering properties of the aerosols at the summit of Mt. Tai are relatively weak and the absorption properties are relatively strong when compared with those of other kinds of aerosols. The k of the aerosol complex refractive index at the summit of Mt. Tai has strong correlations with the wind speed, temperature, as revealed by the correlation analysis.
Funding Information
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (41590873)
This publication has 43 references indexed in Scilit:
- Measurements of surface aerosol optical properties in winter of ShanghaiAtmospheric Research, 2012
- Complex refractive indices of Saharan dust samples at visible and near UV wavelengths: a laboratory studyAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 2012
- Measurements of aerosol optical properties in central Tokyo during summertime using cavity ring-down spectroscopy: Comparison with conventional techniquesAtmospheric Environment, 2010
- Light scattering and absorption properties of aerosol particles in the urban environment of Granada, SpainAtmospheric Environment, 2008
- The measurement of aerosol optical properties at a rural site in Northern ChinaAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 2008
- Vertical profiles of urban aerosol complex refractive index in the frame of ESQUIF airborne measurementsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 2008
- Physicochemical characteristics and radiative properties of Asian dust particles observed at Kwangju, Korea, during the 2001 ACE‐Asia intensive observation periodPublished by American Geophysical Union (AGU) ,2004
- A case study of optical and chemical ground apportionment for urban aerosols in ThessalonikiAtmospheric Environment, 2001
- Aerosol backscatter fraction and single scattering albedo: Measured values and uncertainties at a coastal station in the Pacific NorthwestPublished by American Geophysical Union (AGU) ,1999
- Radiative forcing by mineral dust aerosols: Sensitivity to key variablesJournal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 1998