Global analysis of aerosol particle characteristics

Abstract

A technique is presented for global analysis of aerosol optical depth using satellite detected radiance from the NOAA AVHRR sensor. The technique also produces a measure of the slope of the aerosol size distribution from the spectral variation of scattered radiance. Global-scale summaries of aerosol optical depth and an aerosol particle size index are presented from April 1982 and 1983. The aerosol particle size index pattern from 1982 is compared to ship-measured oceanic dimethylsulfide (DMS) concentrations. Increases in the aerosol particle size index in the tropical Pacific Ocean are shown to be consistent with oceanic concentrations of DMS and subsequent particles formed by oxidation of DMS in the atmosphere.