Surface albedo measurements and surface type classification from helicopter-based observations during MOSAiC.

Global climate change poses significant societal and political challenges. The rapid increase in the near-surface air temperatures and the drastic retreat of the Arctic sea ice during summer are not well represented by climate models. The data sets introduced here intend to help improving the current understanding of the ongoing Arctic climate changes. In particular, this study considers observations from 24 helicopter flights (June-September 2020) and 5 flights with the helicopter-towed probe HELiPOD (May-July 2020) during MOSAiC. Distributions of various surface types (white ice/snow, bright melt ponds, dark melt ponds, open water, and bare ice) were determined using fisheye camera images. They were related to collocated broadband irradiance measurements to analyse the temporal and spatial changes of the surface albedo. Multiple linear regression was applied to assign the measured areal albedo to the corresponding surface-types. The resulting surface-type fractions, the albedo data and respective upward and downward broadband solar irradiances of several flights throughout the melting and refreezing season are provided.

Profile observations of the Arctic atmospheric boundary layer with the BELUGA tethered balloon during MOSAiC.

During the Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) expedition, the Balloon-bornE moduLar Utility for profilinG the lower Atmosphere (BELUGA) was deployed from an ice floe drifting in the Fram Strait from 29 June to 27 July 2020. The BELUGA observations aimed to characterize the cloudy Arctic atmospheric boundary layer above the sea ice using a modular setup of five instrument packages. The in situ measurements included atmospheric thermodynamic and dynamic state parameters (air temperature, humidity, pressure, and three-dimensional wind), broadband solar and terrestrial irradiance, aerosol particle microphysical properties, and cloud particle images. In total, 66 profile observations were collected during 33 balloon flights from the surface to maximum altitudes of 0.3 to 1.5 km. The profiles feature a high vertical resolution of 0.01 m to 1 m, including measurements below, inside, and above frequently occurring low-level clouds. This publication describes the balloon operations, instruments, and the obtained data set. We invite the scientific community for joint analysis and model application of the freely available data on PANGAEA.

MOSAiC-ACA and AFLUX - Arctic airborne campaigns characterizing the exit area of MOSAiC.

Two airborne field campaigns focusing on observations of Arctic mixed-phase clouds and boundary layer processes and their role with respect to Arctic amplification have been carried out in spring 2019 and late summer 2020 over the Fram Strait northwest of Svalbard. The latter campaign was closely connected to the Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) expedition. Comprehensive datasets of the cloudy Arctic atmosphere have been collected by operating remote sensing instruments, in-situ probes, instruments for the measurement of turbulent fluxes of energy and momentum, and dropsondes on board the AWI research aircraft Polar 5. In total, 24 flights with 111 flight hours have been performed over open ocean, the marginal sea ice zone, and sea ice. The datasets follow documented methods and quality assurance and are suited for studies on Arctic mixed-phase clouds and their transformation processes, for studies with a focus on Arctic boundary layer processes, and for satellite validation applications. All datasets are freely available via the world data center PANGAEA.

Effects of the shape distribution of aerosol particles on their volumetric scattering properties and the radiative transfer through the atmosphere that includes polarization.

In this paper, we investigate the effects of shape distribution of aerosol particles on the volumetric scattering properties, as well as the radiance and polarization distributions of skylight, by numerical simulations. The results demonstrate that the shape distribution indeed exerts a significant influence on the skylight degree of linear polarization. The skylight polarization calculated assuming the microscope-measured shape distributions is distinct from that using the inversion-based shape distributions. The significant effects will influence the retrieval of the sphericity of aerosols based on the sun-sky radiometer measurements. Our results suggest that using representative shape distributions obtained by direct microscopic observations of aerosol samples captured in the natural atmosphere has a high potential to improve the retrieval of the aerosol shape parameter.

Remote Sensing of Droplet Number Concentration in Warm Clouds: A Review of the Current State of Knowledge and Perspectives.

The cloud droplet number concentration (N d) is of central interest to improve the understanding of cloud physics and for quantifying the effective radiative forcing by aerosol-cloud interactions. Current standard satellite retrievals do not operationally provide N d, but it can be inferred from retrievals of cloud optical depth (τ c) cloud droplet effective radius (r e) and cloud top temperature. This review summarizes issues with this approach and quantifies uncertainties. A total relative uncertainty of 78% is inferred for pixel-level retrievals for relatively homogeneous, optically thick and unobscured stratiform clouds with favorable viewing geometry. The uncertainty is even greater if these conditions are not met. For averages over 1° ×1° regions the uncertainty is reduced to 54% assuming random errors for instrument uncertainties. In contrast, the few evaluation studies against reference in situ observations suggest much better accuracy with little variability in the bias. More such studies are required for a better error characterization. N d uncertainty is dominated by errors in r e, and therefore, improvements in r e retrievals would greatly improve the quality of the N d retrievals. Recommendations are made for how this might be achieved. Some existing N d data sets are compared and discussed, and best practices for the use of N d data from current passive instruments (e.g., filtering criteria) are recommended. Emerging alternative N d estimates are also considered. First, new ideas to use additional information from existing and upcoming spaceborne instruments are discussed, and second, approaches using high-quality ground-based observations are examined.

Studying aerosol light scattering based on aspect ratio distribution observed by fluorescence microscope.

Particle shape is crucial to the properties of light scattered by atmospheric aerosol particles. A method of fluorescence microscopy direct observation was introduced to determine the aspect ratio distribution of aerosol particles. The result is comparable with that of the electron microscopic analysis. The measured aspect ratio distribution has been successfully applied in modeling light scattering and further in simulation of polarization measurements of the sun/sky radiometer. These efforts are expected to improve shape retrieval from skylight polarization by using directly measured aspect ratio distribution.

Degradation of indoor limonene by outdoor ozone: A cascade of secondary organic aerosols.

In indoor air, terpene-ozone reactions can form secondary organic aerosols (SOA) in a transient process. 'Real world' measurements conducted in a furnished room without air conditioning were modelled involving the indoor background of airborne particulate matter, outdoor ozone infiltrated by natural ventilation, repeated transient limonene evaporations, and different subsequent ventilation regimes. For the given setup, we disentangled the development of nucleated, coagulated, and condensed SOA fractions in the indoor air and calculated the time dependence of the aerosol mass fraction (AMF) by means of a process model. The AMF varied significantly between 0.3 and 5.0 and was influenced by the ozone limonene ratio and the background particles which existed prior to SOA formation. Both influencing factors determine whether nucleation or adsorption processes are preferred; condensation is strongly intensified by particulate background. The results provide evidence that SOA levels in natural indoor environments can surpass those known from chamber measurements. An indicator for the SOA forming potential of limonene was found to be limona ketone. Multiplying its concentration (in µg/m3) by 450(±100) provides an estimate of the concentration of the reacted limonene. This can be used to detect a high particle formation potential due to limonene pollution, e.g. in epidemiological studies considering adverse health effects of indoor air pollutants.

EUREC4A: A Field Campaign to Elucidate the Couplings Between Clouds, Convection and Circulation.

Trade-wind cumuli constitute the cloud type with the highest frequency of occurrence on Earth, and it has been shown that their sensitivity to changing environmental conditions will critically influence the magnitude and pace of future global warming. Research over the last decade has pointed out the importance of the interplay between clouds, convection and circulation in controling this sensitivity. Numerical models represent this interplay in diverse ways, which translates into different responses of trade-cumuli to climate perturbations. Climate models predict that the area covered by shallow cumuli at cloud base is very sensitive to changes in environmental conditions, while process models suggest the opposite. To understand and resolve this contradiction, we propose to organize a field campaign aimed at quantifying the physical properties of trade-cumuli (e.g., cloud fraction and water content) as a function of the large-scale environment. Beyond a better understanding of clouds-circulation coupling processes, the campaign will provide a reference data set that may be used as a benchmark for advancing the modelling and the satellite remote sensing of clouds and circulation. It will also be an opportunity for complementary investigations such as evaluating model convective parameterizations or studying the role of ocean mesoscale eddies in air-sea interactions and convective organization.

The lasting effect of limonene-induced particle formation on air quality in a genuine indoor environment.

Atmospheric ozone-terpene reactions, which form secondary organic aerosol (SOA) particles, can affect indoor air quality when outdoor air mixes with indoor air during ventilation. This study, conducted in Leipzig, Germany, focused on limonene-induced particle formation in a genuine indoor environment (24 m(3)). Particle number, limonene and ozone concentrations were monitored during the whole experimental period. After manual ventilation for 30 min, during which indoor ozone levels reached up to 22.7 ppb, limonene was introduced into the room at concentrations of approximately 180 to 250 µg m(-3). We observed strong particle formation and growth within a diameter range of 9 to 50 nm under real-room conditions. Larger particles with diameters above 100 nm were less affected by limonene introduction. The total particle number concentrations (TPNCs) after limonene introduction clearly exceed outdoor values by a factor of 4.5 to 41 reaching maximum concentrations of up to 267,000 particles cm(-3). The formation strength was influenced by background particles, which attenuated the formation of new SOA with increasing concentration, and by ozone levels, an increase of which by 10 ppb will result in a six times higher TPNC. This study emphasizes indoor environments to be preferred locations for particle formation and growth after ventilation events. As a consequence, SOA formation can produce significantly higher amounts of particles than transported by ventilation into the indoor air.

Particulate matter pollution in the megacities of the Pearl River Delta, China - a systematic literature review and health risk assessment.

The exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM) pollution is a major threat to public health. Chinese megacities are coined by high levels of PM. Our aims were to examine the concentration levels of PM in megacities (Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Shenzhen) of the Pearl River Delta (PRD), South China; to compare the results with international and national air quality guidelines; and to assess the health impact in terms of possible reductions in premature deaths due to PM reduction. The Medline(®) data base was used to identify published studies (systematic literature search). Based on our appraisal criteria 13 studies remained in the analysis. Additionally, publicly available data were extracted from data sources provided by municipal authorities of the cities under study. PM data reported in µg/m(3) were abstracted from single studies and municipal reports. If possible, the PM data were stratified for season of data collection (summer/winter half-year) and simple means were calculated for cities, seasons and months. Based on the abstracted data, a health impact assessment (HIA) was done in order to estimate potential preventable premature deaths due to PM pollution in the cities. Almost all PM data exceeded national and international air quality guidelines. Our HIA showed that in Guangzhou ten thousands of premature deaths could be prevented if the PM burden was reduced to these air quality limit values. We identified no suitable epidemiological study reporting PM according to our study protocol. Further epidemiological studies should be carried out to more precisely determine the spatial distribution of PM-related health risks in PRD. Environmental protection measures and public health interventions are required to reduce burden of PM-related diseases in PRD.

Potential of lidar backscatter data to estimate solar aerosol radiative forcing.

The potential to estimate solar aerosol radiative forcing (SARF) in cloudless conditions from backscatter data measured by widespread standard lidar has been investigated. For this purpose 132 days of sophisticated ground-based Raman lidar observations (profiles of particle extinction and backscatter coefficients at 532 nm wavelength) collected during two campaigns [the European Aerosol Research Lidar Network (EARLINET) and the Indian Ocean Experiment (INDOEX)] were analyzed. Particle extinction profiles were used as input for radiative transfer simulations with which to calculate the SARF, which then was plotted as a function of the column (i.e., height-integrated) particle backscatter coefficient (beta(c)). A close correlation between the SARF and beta(c) was found. SARF-beta(c) parameterizations in the form of polynomial fits were derived that exhibit an estimated uncertainty of +/-(10-30)%. These parameterizations can be utilized to analyze data of upcoming lidar satellite missions and for other purposes. The EARLINET-based parameterizations can be applied to lidar measurements at mostly continental, highly industrialized sites with limited maritime influence (Europe, North America), whereas the INDOEX parameterizations rather can be employed in polluted maritime locations, e.g., coastal regions of south and east Asia.

Airborne system for fast measurements of upwelling and downwelling spectral actinic flux densities.

An airborne system for fast measurements of spectral actinic flux densities in the wavelength range 305-700 nm is introduced. The system is called the Actinic Flux Density Meter (AFDM). The AFDM utilizes the diode array technique and measures downwelling and upwelling spectral actinic flux densities separately with a time resolution of less than 1 s. For airborne measurements this means a spatial resolution of approximately 60 m, assuming an average aircraft velocity of 60 m/s. Thus the AFDM resolves fast changes in the actinic radiation field, which are of special importance for conditions of inhomogeneous clouds or surface reflection. Laboratory characterization measurements of the AFDM are presented, and a method to correct the nonideal angular response of the optical inlets is introduced. Furthermore, exemplar field data sampled simultaneously with spectral irradiance measurements are shown. The horizontal variability of the measured spectra of actinic flux density is quantified, and profile measurements for overcast situations are presented. Finally, the effects of clouds on the spectral actinic flux density are discussed.