Satellite- and Ground-Based Remote Sensing and In Situ Measurements of Aerosols and Trace Gases

A special issue of Atmosphere (ISSN 2073-4433). This special issue belongs to the section "Atmospheric Techniques, Instruments, and Modeling".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 March 2022) | Viewed by 9377

Special Issue Editors

Department of Physics, San Jacinto College, South Campus, Houston, TX 77089, USA
Interests: aerosol optical and physical properties; aerosol radiative forcing; biomass burning aerosols; satellite retrieval of aerosol and trace gas
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
College of Health & Natural Sciences; Franklin Pierce University, Rindge, NH 03461, USA
Interests: aerosol radiative properties; comparison of surface level and column integrated aerosol optical properties; direct and indirect impact of aerosols; long range transport of aerosols; remote sensing of aerosols
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
California Air Resources Board, Riverside, CA, USA
Interests: atmospheric aerosol; environmental analytical chemistry; biomass burning; bioaerosol; vehicle emissions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleague,

Aerosols with their direct and indirect radiative forcing are thought to be the largest source of uncertainty in global climate change modeling. Atmospheric aerosols exert influence on air quality and human health and have a direct impact on cloud processes and visibility variations. The optical, physical, and chemical properties of aerosols can be studied in situ or by remote sensing from space and the ground. Satellite remote sensing has evolved dramatically over the past few decades. Continuous advancement in instrument design and retrieval techniques allows for more extensive and frequent observations of a wide range of aerosols and trace gases. In addition, ground-based instruments have a high precision of measurement at low spatial reach, which can be used to validate satellite retrievals over land.

This Special Issue welcomes manuscripts that present new and advanced scientific contributions in the remote sensing of aerosols and trace gases from satellite measurements, from both a global and a local perspective. This includes submissions relating to the remote sensing of anthropogenic aerosols from industrial, biomass burning, and agricultural sources as well as natural aerosols from volcanic eruptions, mineral dust, and biogenic aerosols. Submissions focusing on ground-based in situ and remote sensing measurements for aerosol model evaluation, the radiative effects of aerosols, and the development of statistical models for air quality studies, including laboratory studies and field measurements, are also encouraged.

Dr. Guenter Engling
Dr. Madhu Gyawali
Dr. Rudra P. Aryal
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • satellite remote sensing of particulate matter and trace gases
  • aerosol optics
  • photoacoustic instruments
  • biomass burning emissions
  • combustion emissions
  • radiative forcing
  • visibility

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 5774 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Wildfires in the Mid and High Latitudes Using a Multi-Dataset Approach: A Case Study in California and Krasnoyarsk Krai
by Lerato Shikwambana and John Bosco Habarulema
Atmosphere 2022, 13(3), 428; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13030428 - 07 Mar 2022
Viewed by 2250
Abstract
In this study, we investigate the emissions from wildfires in the mid latitude (California) and high latitude (Krasnoyarsk Krai) during the periods of 16–17 August 2020 and 28 July 2019, respectively. Wildfires are unique in themselves as they are driven by various factors [...] Read more.
In this study, we investigate the emissions from wildfires in the mid latitude (California) and high latitude (Krasnoyarsk Krai) during the periods of 16–17 August 2020 and 28 July 2019, respectively. Wildfires are unique in themselves as they are driven by various factors such as fuel type, topology, and meteorology. In this study, we analyze whether there are any major variations in the emissions and transport of pollutants between two large wildfire cases in the mid latitude of California and high latitude of Krasnoyarsk Krai. The study is important to understand and characterize the emission regime from biomass burning of different land covers using a mutli-dataset approach. We analyze whether there are any major variations in the emissions and transport of pollutants from these wildfires. For example, the aerosol extinction coefficient profile showed smoke detected at the highest altitude of 9 km in Krasnoyarsk Krai, whereas in California the highest altitude was observed at approximately 6 km. Moreover, large values of black carbon (BC) concentration were observed in Krasnoyarsk Krai approximately 7 µg/m3 compared to the 0.44 µg/m3 observed in California. Areas with an immense dense vegetation are prone to large emissions. The results from this case study suggest that high latitude wildfires emit more pollutants than mid latitude wildfires. However, more studies in the future will be conducted to conclude this observation and finding with certainty. Full article
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21 pages, 3799 KiB  
Article
Determination of PM1 Sources at a Prague Background Site during the 2012–2013 Period Using PMF Analysis of Combined Aerosol Mass Spectra
by Otakar Makeš, Jaroslav Schwarz, Petr Vodička, Guenter Engling and Vladimír Ždímal
Atmosphere 2022, 13(1), 20; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13010020 - 24 Dec 2021
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Abstract
Two intensive measurement campaigns using a compact time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer were carried out at the suburban site in Prague (Czech Republic) in summer (2012) and winter (2013). The aim was to determine the aerosol sources of the NR-PM1 fraction by PMF [...] Read more.
Two intensive measurement campaigns using a compact time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer were carried out at the suburban site in Prague (Czech Republic) in summer (2012) and winter (2013). The aim was to determine the aerosol sources of the NR-PM1 fraction by PMF analysis of organic (OA) and inorganic aerosol mass spectra. Firstly, an analysis of the OA mass spectra was performed. Hydrocarbon-like OA (HOA), biomass burning OA (BBOA), and two types of oxygenated OA (OOA1) and (OOA2) were identified in summer. In winter, HOA, BBOA, long-range oxygenated OA (LROOA), and local oxygenated OA (LOOA) were determined. The identified HOA and BBOA factors were then used as additional input for the subsequent ME-2 analysis of the combined organic and inorganic spectra. This analysis resulted in six factors in both seasons. All of the previously reported organic factors were reidentified and expanded with the inorganic part of the spectra in both seasons. Two predominantly inorganic factors ammonium sulphate (AMOS) and ammonium nitrate (AMON) were newly identified in both seasons. Despite very similar organic parts of the mass profiles, the daily cycles of HOA and LOOA differed significantly in winter. It appears that the addition of the inorganic part of the mass profile, in some cases, reduces the ability of the model to identify physically meaningful factors. Full article
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21 pages, 52241 KiB  
Article
Long-Term Variability of Dust Events in Southwestern Iran and Its Relationship with the Drought
by Nasim Hossein Hamzeh, Dimitris G. Kaskaoutis, Alireza Rashki and Kaveh Mohammadpour
Atmosphere 2021, 12(10), 1350; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos12101350 - 15 Oct 2021
Cited by 30 | Viewed by 3721
Abstract
Dust storms represent a major environmental challenge in the Middle East. The southwest part of Iran is highly affected by dust events transported from neighboring desert regions, mostly from the Iraqi plains and Saudi Arabia, as well as from local dust storms. This [...] Read more.
Dust storms represent a major environmental challenge in the Middle East. The southwest part of Iran is highly affected by dust events transported from neighboring desert regions, mostly from the Iraqi plains and Saudi Arabia, as well as from local dust storms. This study analyzes the spatio-temporal distribution of dust days at five meteorological stations located in southwestern Iran covering a period of 22 years (from 1997 to 2018). Dust codes (06, 07, 30 to 35) from meteorological observations are analyzed at each station, indicating that 84% of the dust events are not of local origin. The average number of dust days maximizes in June and July (188 and 193, respectively), while the dust activity weakens after August. The dust events exhibit large inter-annual variability, with statistically significant increasing trends in all of five stations. Spatial distributions of the aerosol optical depth (AOD), dust loading, and surface dust concentrations from a moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA-2) retrievals reveal high dust accumulation over southwest Iran and surrounding regions. Furthermore, the spatial distribution of the (MODIS)-AOD trend (%) over southwest Iran indicates a large spatial heterogeneity during 2000–2018 with trends ranging mostly between −9% and 9% (not statistically significant). 2009 was the most active dust year, followed by 2011 and 2008, due to prolonged drought conditions in the fertile crescent and the enhanced dust emissions in the Iraqi plains during this period. In these years, the AOD was much higher than the 19-year average (2000 to 2018), while July 2009 was the dustiest month with about 25–30 dust days in each station. The years with highest dust activity were associated with less precipitation, negative anomalies of the vegetation health index (VHI) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) over the Iraqi plains and southwest Iran, and favorable meteorological dynamics triggering stronger winds. Full article
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