Overview of sun photometer measurements of aerosol properties in Scandinavia and Svalbard

An overview of the data of columnar aerosol properties measured in Northern Europe is provided. Apart from the necessary data gathered in the Arctic, the knowledge of the aerosol loading in nearby areas (e.g. subarctic) is of maximum interest to get a correct analysis of Arctic aerosols and transport patterns. This work evaluates the data from current operational sites with sun photometer measurements belonging either to national or international networks (AERONET, GAW-PFR) and programs conducted in Scandinavia and Svalbard. We enumerate a list of operational sites, measurement type and periods together with observed aerosol properties. An evaluation and analysis of aerosol data was carried out with a review of previous results, as well. Aerosol optical depth (AOD) and Ångström exponent (AE) are the current parameters with sucient long-term records for a first evaluation of aerosol properties. AOD (500nm) ranges from 0.08 to 0.10 in Arctic and sub-Arctic sites (Ny-Ålesund: 0.09; Andenes: 0.10; Sodankylä: 0.08), and it is somewhat higher in more populated areas in Southern Scandinavia (AOD about 0.10–0.12 at 500 nm). On the Norwegian coast, aerosols show larger mean size (AE=1.2 at Andenes) than in Finland, with continental climate (AE=1.5 at Sodankylä). Columnar particle size distributions and related parameters derived from inversion of sun/sky radiances were also investigated. This work makes special emphasis in the joint and collaborative eort of the various groups from dierent countries involved in this study. Part of the measurements presented here is involved in the IPY projects Polar-AOD and POLARCAT.

TOLEDANO C;  CACHORRO V;  GAUSA M;  STEBEL K;  AALTONEN V;  BERJÓN A;  ORTIZ DE GALISTEO J;  DE FRUTOS A;  BENNOUNA Y;  BLINDHEIM S;  MYHRE C;  ZIBORDI Giuseppe;  WEHRLI C;  KRATZER S;  HAKANSSON B;  CARLUND T;  DE LEEUW G;  HERBER A;  TORRES B.; 

2012-04-19

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

JRC64827

1352-2310,   

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1352231011010818,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC64827,   

10.1016/j.atmosenv.2011.10.022,