Comparative Study of AOD and PM2.5 Relationship with Different Mixing Layer Heights during Discover-AQ Field Campaigns

D. Allen Chu1,2, Richard Anthony Ferrare3, Johnathan W Hair3, Chris A Hostetler3 and Brent Holben1, (1)NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, United States, (2)University of Maryland Baltimore County, JCET, Baltimore, MD, United States, (3)NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, United States
Abstract:
In this study we will present the results of AOD and PM2.5 relationship during DISCOVER-AQ field experiments in Baltimore-Washington Corridor (BWC) in July 2011, San Joaquin Valley (SJV) in January-February 2013, and Houston Metropolitan Region (HMR) in September 2013). These three domains were selected because of higher concentrations of air pollutants of PM2.5 and ozone under prevailing synoptic systems of humid subtropical summer (BWC and TMR) and Mediterranean winter (SJV), respectively. Airborne and enhanced surface observations of AOD were used in the analysis to serve as the baseline for satellite retrievals. Aerosol extinction profiles differ significantly from region to region. We characterize regional aerosol vertical distribution with respect to mean PBL extinction and near-surface extinction. Diurnal variation of aerosol extinction profiles appears significant between morning and afternoon sampling hours. Linear approximation of AOD in estimating PM2.5 is evaluated with respect to different mixing layer height derivations.
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