1. Aerosol dust absorption : measurements with a reference instrument (PTAAM-2[lambda]) and impact on the climate as measured in airborne JATAC/CAVA-AW 2021/2022 campaignsJesús Yus-Díez, Luka Drinovec, Marija Bervida, Uroš Jagodič, Blaž Žibert, Griša Močnik, 2024, published scientific conference contribution abstract Abstract: Aerosol absorption coefficient measurements classically feature a very large uncertainty, especially given the absence of a reference method. The most used approach using filter-photometers is by measuring the attenuation of light through a filter where aerosols are being deposited. This presents several artifacts, with cross-sensitivity to scattering being most important at high single scattering albedo with the error exceeding 100%. We present lab campaign results where we have resuspended dust samples from different mid-latitude desert regions and measured the dust absorption and scattering coefficients, their mass concentration and the particle size distribution. The absorption coefficients were measured with two types of filter photometers: a Continuous Light Absorption Photometers (CLAP) and a multi-wavelength Aethalometer (AE33). The dual-wavelength photo-thermal interferometer (PTAAM-2λ) was employed as the reference. Scattering coefficients were measured with an Ecotech Aurora 4000 nephelometer. The mass concentration was obtained after the weighting of filters before and after the sampling, and the particle size distribution (PSD) was measured by means of optical particle counters (Grimm 11-D).Measurements of the scattering with the nephelometer and absorption with the PTAAM-2λ we obtained the filter photometer multiple scattering parameter and cross-sensitivity to scattering as a function of the different sample properties. Moreover, by determining the mass concentration and the absorption coefficients of the samples, we derived the mass absorption cross-sections of the different dust samples, which can be linked to their size distribution as well as to their mineralogical composition.The focus of the JATAC campaign in September 2021 and September 2022 on and above Cape Verde Islands was on the calibration/validation of the ESA Aeolus satellite ALADIN lidar, however, the campaign also featured secondary scientific climate-change objectives. As part of this campaign, a light aircraft was set-up for in-situ aerosol measurements. Several flights were conducted over the Atlantic Ocean up to and above 3000 m above sea level during intense dust transport events. The aircraft was instrumented to determine the absorption coefficients using a pair of Continuous Light Absorption Photometers (CLAPs) measuring in the fine and coarse fractions separately, with parallel measurements of size distributions in these size fractions using two Grimm 11-D Optical Particle Size Spectrometers (OPSS). In addition, we performed measurements of the total and diffuse solar irradiance with a DeltaT SPN1 pyranometer.The combination of the absorption and PSD with source identification techniques enabled the separation of the contributions to absorption by dust and black carbon. The atmospheric heating rate of these two contributions was determined by adding the irradiance measurements. Therefore, the integration of the results from the Using laboratory resuspension experiments to interpret the airborne measurements is of great relevance for the determination of the radiative effect of the Saharan Aerosol Layer as measured over the tropical Atlantic ocean. Keywords: black carbon, mineral dust, Saharan dust, atmospheric heating rate, climate change, airborne measurements Published in RUNG: 18.03.2024; Views: 1858; Downloads: 6 Full text (291,71 KB) This document has many files! More... |
2. Heating rate and energy gradient from the tropics to the North PoleLuca Ferrero, Martin Rigler, Asta Gregorič, Griša Močnik, 2024, published scientific conference contribution abstract Abstract: Absorbing aerosol species, such as Black (BC) and Brown (BrC) Carbon, are able to warm the atmosphere. The role of aerosols is one of the least clear aspects in the so called “Arctic Amplification” (AA) and up to now this was mostly modelled [1,2]. For this reason, we took part in four scientific cruises (AREX, Arctic-Expedition, summer 2018, 2019, 2021 and EUREC4A, 2020) in the North Atlantic, eastward and south-eastward of Barbados, aiming at the determination of the aerosol chemical composition and properties from the Tropics to the North Pole.
The Heating Rate (HR) was experimentally determined at 1 minute time-resolution along different latitudes by means of an innovative methodology [3], obtained by cumulatively taking into account the aerosol optical properties, i.e. the absorption coefficients (measured by AE33 Aethalometer) and incident radiation (direct, diffuse and reflected) across the entire solar spectrum. The HR computed along AREX and in Milan (in the same period) were used to determine the energy gradient, due to the LAA induced heat storage at mid-latitudes, which contributes to AA through the atmospheric heat transport northward.
Moreover, aerosol chemical composition was achieved by means of sampling via high volume sampler (ECHO-PUF Tecora) and analysis via ion chromatography, TCA08 for Total Carbon content, Aethalometer AE33 (for BC), ICP-OES for elements.
A clear latitudinal behaviour in Black Carbon concentrations, with the highest values at low latitudes (e.g. average BC concentration in Gdansk up to 1507±75 ng/m3) and a progressive decrease moving northwards and away from the big Arctic settlements (Black Carbon concentrations within the 81st parallel: 5±1 ng/m3).
According to the latitudinal behaviour of BC concentrations and solar radiation (decreases towards the north while the diffuse component increases), HR decreases noticeably towards the Arctic: e.g. higher in the harbor of Gdansk (0.290±0.010 K/day) followed by the Baltic Sea (0.04±0.01 K/day), the Norvegian Sea (0.010±0.010 K/day) and finally with the lowest values in the pure Arctic Ocean (0.003±0.001 K/day). Accordingly, the energy density added to the system by the aerosol, a positive forcing that differs by 2 orders of magnitude between mid-latitudes and North Pole was found: 347.3 ± 11.8 J/m3 (Milan), 244.8 ± 12.2 J/m3 (Gdansk) and 2.6 ± 0.2 J/m3 (80°N). These results highlight the presence of a great energy gradient between mid-latitudes and Arctic that can trigger a heat transport towards the Arctic. Moreover this was strengthen by the HR value for EUREC4A in Barbados that was 0.175±0.003 K/day. Finally, preliminary results from Antarctica collected onboard the Italian RV Laura Bassi cruising the Southern Ocean and the Ross Sea will be shown.
Acknoledgements: GEMMA Center, Project TECLA MIUR – Dipartimenti di Eccellenza 2023–2027. JPI EUREC4A-OA project. CAIAC (oCean Atmosphere Interactions in the Antarctic regions and Convergence latitude) PNRA project
References
[1] Navarro, J. C. A. et al. (2016) Nat. Geosci. 9, 277–281.
[2] Shindell, D. and Faluvegi, G. (2009) Nat. Geosci. 2, 294–300.
[3] Ferrero, L. et al. (2018) Environ. Sci. Technol. 52, 3546 3555. Keywords: blackcarbon, brown carbon, atmospheric heating rate, climate change Published in RUNG: 18.03.2024; Views: 1546; Downloads: 24 Full text (291,43 KB) This document has many files! More... |
3. The impact of cloudiness and cloud type on the atmospheric heating rate of black and brown carbon in the Po ValleyLuca Ferrero, Asta Gregorič, Griša Močnik, Martin Rigler, Sergio Cogliati, Francesca Barnaba, Luca Di Liberto, Gian Paolo Gobbi, Niccolò Losi, Ezio Bolzacchini, 2021, original scientific article Abstract: We experimentally quantified the impact of cloud fraction and cloud type on the heating rate (HR) of black and brown carbon (HRBC and HRBrC). In particular, we examined in more detail the cloud effect on the HR detected in a previous study (Ferrero et al., 2018). High-time-resolution measurements of the aerosol absorption coefficient at multiple wavelengths were coupled with spectral measurements of the direct, diffuse and surface reflected irradiance and with lidar–ceilometer data during a field campaign in Milan, Po Valley (Italy). The experimental set-up allowed for a direct determination of the total HR (and its speciation: HRBC and HRBrC) in all-sky conditions (from clear-sky conditions to cloudy). The highest total HR values were found in the middle of winter (1.43 ± 0.05 K d−1), and the lowest were in spring (0.54 ± 0.02 K d−1). Overall, the HRBrC accounted for 13.7 ± 0.2 % of the total HR, with the BrC being characterized by an absorption Ångström exponent (AAE) of 3.49 ± 0.01. To investigate the role of clouds, sky conditions were classified in terms of cloudiness (fraction of the sky covered by clouds: oktas) and cloud type (stratus, St; cumulus, Cu; stratocumulus, Sc; altostratus, As; altocumulus, Ac; cirrus, Ci; and cirrocumulus–cirrostratus, Cc–Cs). During the campaign, clear-sky conditions were present 23 % of the time, with the remaining time (77 %) being characterized by cloudy conditions. The average cloudiness was 3.58 ± 0.04 oktas (highest in February at 4.56 ± 0.07 oktas and lowest in November at 2.91 ± 0.06 oktas). St clouds were mostly responsible for overcast conditions (7–8 oktas, frequency of 87 % and 96 %); Sc clouds dominated the intermediate cloudiness conditions (5–6 oktas, frequency of 47 % and 66 %); and the transition from Cc–Cs to Sc determined moderate cloudiness (3–4 oktas); finally, low cloudiness (1–2 oktas) was mostly dominated by Ci and Cu (frequency of 59 % and 40 %, respectively).
HR measurements showed a constant decrease with increasing cloudiness of the atmosphere, enabling us to quantify for the first time the bias (in %) of the aerosol HR introduced by the simplified assumption of clear-sky conditions in radiative-transfer model calculations. Our results showed that the HR of light-absorbing aerosol was ∼ 20 %–30 % lower in low cloudiness (1–2 oktas) and up to 80 % lower in completely overcast conditions (i.e. 7–8 oktas) compared to clear-sky ones. This means that, in the simplified assumption of clear-sky conditions, the HR of light-absorbing aerosol can be largely overestimated (by 50 % in low cloudiness, 1–2 oktas, and up to 500 % in completely overcast conditions, 7–8 oktas).
The impact of different cloud types on the HR was also investigated. Cirrus clouds were found to have a modest impact, decreasing the HRBC and HRBrC by −5 % at most. Cumulus clouds decreased the HRBC and HRBrC by −31 ± 12 % and −26 ± 7 %, respectively; cirrocumulus–cirrostratus clouds decreased the HRBC and HRBrC by −60 ± 8 % and −54 ± 4 %, which was comparable to the impact of altocumulus (−60 ± 6 % and −46 ± 4 %). A higher impact on the HRBC and HRBrC suppression was found for stratocumulus (−63 ± 6 % and −58 ± 4 %, respectively) and altostratus (−78 ± 5 % and −73 ± 4 %, respectively). The highest impact was associated with stratus, suppressing the HRBC and HRBrC by −85 ± 5 % and −83 ± 3 %, respectively. The presence of clouds caused a decrease of both the HRBC and HRBrC (normalized to the absorption coefficient of the respective species) of −11.8 ± 1.2 % and −12.6 ± 1.4 % per okta. This study highlights the need to take into account the role of both cloudiness and different cloud types when estimating the HR caused by both BC and BrC and in turn decrease the uncertainties associated with the quantification of their impact on the climate. Keywords: black carbon, brown carbon, cloud, atmospheric heating rate, climate change Published in RUNG: 29.03.2021; Views: 3265; Downloads: 0 This document has many files! More... |