Background Southeast United States Aerosol Optical Properties and Their Dependence Upon Meteorology

Abstract:

Aerosol effects on SE U.S. radiation budget are highly-seasonal. Aerosol loading is much higher in summer, due largely to high levels of biogenic secondary organic aerosol and sulfates. Aerosol loading is lowest in winter. Aerosol optical properties relevant to radiative forcing have been measured continuously at the Appalachian Atmospheric Interdisciplinary Research facility (AppalAIR) since the summer of 2009. AppalAIR is the only site in the eastern US to house co-located NOAA ESRL and NASA AeroNET instrumentation and is located in the mountains of Boone, NC. Lower tropospheric sub-micron (PM1) light scattering and absorption coefficients measured over seven summers and six winters are presented here, in addition to PM1 organic and sulfate aerosol mass concentrations measured during summers 2012-2013 as well as winter 2013. The objective is to determine the influence of aerosol sources and meteorology along the air mass back-trajectories on aerosol loading and composition. PM1 aerosol mass was dominated by organic aerosol and sulfate during the periods measured. Aerosol light scattering and organic aerosol concentrations were positively correlated during summer with temperature and solar flux along the parcel back-trajectory and negatively-correlated with rainfall along the back-trajectory. Wet deposition was a major factor in the difference between the upper and lower scattering coefficient quartiles for both summer and winter. Summer PM1 light scattering coefficient declined by approximately 30-40% since 2009, with smaller decreases during winter months. Long-term studies of aerosol optical properties from the regionally-representative AppalAIR site are necessary to determine the relationships between changing SE U.S. air quality and aerosol effects on regional climate and weather.

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