Monitoring of the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic aerosol plume over the Iberian Peninsula by means of four EARLINET lidar stations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors performed intensively over the Iberian Peninsula (IP) during the eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano (Iceland) in April-May 2010.
Abstract: . Lidar and sun-photometer measurements were performed intensively over the Iberian Peninsula (IP) during the eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano (Iceland) in April–May 2010. The volcanic plume reached all the IP stations for the first time on 5 May 2010. A thorough study of the event was conducted for the period 5–8 May. Firstly, the spatial and temporal evolution of the plume was described by means of lidar and sun-photometer measurements supported with backtrajectories. The volcanic aerosol layers observed over the IP were rather thin (
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TL;DR: The European Aerosol Research Lidar Network (EARLINET) as mentioned in this paper was founded as a research project for establishing a quantitative, comprehensive, and statistically significant database for the horizontal, vertical, and tempo-ral distribution of aerosols on a continental scale.
Abstract: The European Aerosol Research Lidar Network, EARLINET, was founded in 2000 as a research project for establishing a quantitative, comprehensive, and statistically significant database for the horizontal, vertical, and tempo- ral distribution of aerosols on a continental scale. Since then EARLINET has continued to provide the most extensive col- lection of ground-based data for the aerosol vertical distribu- tion over Europe. This paper gives an overview of the network's main de- velopments since 2000 and introduces the dedicated EAR- LINET special issue, which reports on the present innova- tive and comprehensive technical solutions and scientific re- sults related to the use of advanced lidar remote sensing tech- niques for the study of aerosol properties as developed within the network in the last 13 years. Since 2000, EARLINET has developed greatly in terms of number of stations and spatial distribution: from 17 sta- tions in 10 countries in 2000 to 27 stations in 16 countries in 2013. EARLINET has developed greatly also in terms of technological advances with the spread of advanced multi- wavelength Raman lidar stations in Europe. The develop- ments for the quality assurance strategy, the optimization of instruments and data processing, and the dissemination of data have contributed to a significant improvement of the net- work towards a more sustainable observing system, with an increase in the observing capability and a reduction of oper- ational costs. Consequently, EARLINET data have already been ex- tensively used for many climatological studies, long-range transport events, Saharan dust outbreaks, plumes from vol- canic eruptions, and for model evaluation and satellite data validation and integration. Future plans are aimed at continuous measurements and near-real-time data delivery in close cooperation with other ground-based networks, such as in the ACTRIS (Aerosols, Clouds, and Trace gases Research InfraStructure Network) www.actris.net, and with the modeling and satellite commu- nity, linking the research community with the operational world, with the aim of establishing of the atmospheric part of the European component of the integrated global observ- ing system.
417 citations
Leibniz Association1, European Space Agency2, Finnish Meteorological Institute3, National University of Ireland, Galway4, University of Hertfordshire5, Stockholm University6, National Institute of Environmental Research7, University of Warsaw8, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki9, Leipzig University10, The Energy and Resources Institute11, Deutscher Wetterdienst12, University of Leeds13, University of São Paulo14, Federal University of São Paulo15, North-West University16, Stellenbosch University17, Sun Yat-sen University18, Cyprus University of Technology19, University of Magallanes20
TL;DR: PollyNET as mentioned in this paper consists of portable, remote-controlled multiwavelength-polarization-Raman lidars (Polly) for automated and continuous 24/7 observations of clouds and aerosols.
Abstract: . A global vertically resolved aerosol data set covering more than 10 years of observations at more than 20 measurement sites distributed from 63° N to 52° S and 72° W to 124° E has been achieved within the Raman and polarization lidar network PollyNET. This network consists of portable, remote-controlled multiwavelength-polarization-Raman lidars (Polly) for automated and continuous 24/7 observations of clouds and aerosols. PollyNET is an independent, voluntary, and scientific network. All Polly lidars feature a standardized instrument design with different capabilities ranging from single wavelength to multiwavelength systems, and now apply unified calibration, quality control, and data analysis. The observations are processed in near-real time without manual intervention, and are presented online at http://polly.tropos.de/ . The paper gives an overview of the observations on four continents and two research vessels obtained with eight Polly systems. The specific aerosol types at these locations (mineral dust, smoke, dust-smoke and other dusty mixtures, urban haze, and volcanic ash) are identified by their Angstrom exponent, lidar ratio, and depolarization ratio. The vertical aerosol distribution at the PollyNET locations is discussed on the basis of more than 55 000 automatically retrieved 30 min particle backscatter coefficient profiles at 532 nm as this operating wavelength is available for all Polly lidar systems. A seasonal analysis of measurements at selected sites revealed typical and extraordinary aerosol conditions as well as seasonal differences. These studies show the potential of PollyNET to support the establishment of a global aerosol climatology that covers the entire troposphere.
192 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the polarization lidar photometer networking (POLIPHON) method introduced to separate coarse-mode and fine-mode particle properties of Eyjafjallajokull volcanic aerosols in 2010 is extended to cover Saharan dust events as well.
Abstract: . The polarization lidar photometer networking (POLIPHON) method introduced to separate coarse-mode and fine-mode particle properties of Eyjafjallajokull volcanic aerosols in 2010 is extended to cover Saharan dust events as well. Furthermore, new volcanic dust observations performed after the Grimsvotn volcanic eruptions in 2011 are presented. The retrieval of particle mass concentrations requires mass-specific extinction coefficients. Therefore, a review of recently published mass-specific extinction coefficients for Saharan dust and volcanic dust is given. Case studies of four different scenarios corroborate the applicability of the profiling technique: (a) Saharan dust outbreak to central Europe, (b) Saharan dust plume mixed with biomass-burning smoke over Cape Verde, and volcanic aerosol layers originating from (c) the Eyjafjallajokull eruptions in 2010 and (d) the Grimsvotn eruptions in 2011. Strong differences in the vertical aerosol layering, aerosol mixing, and optical properties are observed for the different volcanic events.
130 citations
Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology1, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute2, University of Granada3, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus4, Polytechnic University of Catalonia5, Paris Diderot University6, Pierre-and-Marie-Curie University7, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich8, Finnish Meteorological Institute9, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology10, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences11, German Aerospace Center12, University of L'Aquila13, Max Planck Society14, Deutscher Wetterdienst15, National Technical University of Athens16, University College Cork17, Polish Academy of Sciences18, University of Évora19, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne20, Norwegian Institute for Air Research21, Stockholm University22
TL;DR: In this article, the authors show the four-dimensional (4-D) distribution of the Eyjafjallajokull volcanic cloud in the troposphere over Europe as observed by EARLINET during the entire volcanic event (15 April-26 May 2010).
Abstract: . The eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull in April–May 2010 represents a "natural experiment" to study the impact of volcanic emissions on a continental scale. For the first time, quantitative data about the presence, altitude, and layering of the volcanic cloud, in conjunction with optical information, are available for most parts of Europe derived from the observations by the European Aerosol Research Lidar NETwork (EARLINET). Based on multi-wavelength Raman lidar systems, EARLINET is the only instrument worldwide that is able to provide dense time series of high-quality optical data to be used for aerosol typing and for the retrieval of particle microphysical properties as a function of altitude. In this work we show the four-dimensional (4-D) distribution of the Eyjafjallajokull volcanic cloud in the troposphere over Europe as observed by EARLINET during the entire volcanic event (15 April–26 May 2010). All optical properties directly measured (backscatter, extinction, and particle linear depolarization ratio) are stored in the EARLINET database available at http://www.earlinet.org . A specific relational database providing the volcanic mask over Europe, realized ad hoc for this specific event, has been developed and is available on request at http://www.earlinet.org . During the first days after the eruption, volcanic particles were detected over Central Europe within a wide range of altitudes, from the upper troposphere down to the local planetary boundary layer (PBL). After 19 April 2010, volcanic particles were detected over southern and south-eastern Europe. During the first half of May (5–15 May), material emitted by the Eyjafjallajokull volcano was detected over Spain and Portugal and then over the Mediterranean and the Balkans. The last observations of the event were recorded until 25 May in Central Europe and in the Eastern Mediterranean area. The 4-D distribution of volcanic aerosol layering and optical properties on European scale reported here provides an unprecedented data set for evaluating satellite data and aerosol dispersion models for this kind of volcanic events.
91 citations
University of Maryland, Baltimore County1, Langley Research Center2, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration3, Goddard Space Flight Center4, University of Granada5, Polytechnic University of Catalonia6, Centre national de la recherche scientifique7, Chinese Academy of Sciences8, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur9
TL;DR: In this article, the authors report on ground-based lidar observations of the same event from every continent in the Northern Hemisphere, taking advantage of the synergy between global lidar networks such as EARLINET, MPLNET and NDACC with independent lidar groups and satellite CALIPSO.
Abstract: Nabro volcano (13.37°N, 41.70°E) in Eritrea erupted on 13 June 2011 generating a layer of sulfate aerosols that persisted in the stratosphere for months. For the first time we report on ground-based lidar observations of the same event from every continent in the Northern Hemisphere, taking advantage of the synergy between global lidar networks such as EARLINET, MPLNET and NDACC with independent lidar groups and satellite CALIPSO to track the evolution of the stratospheric aerosol layer in various parts of the globe. The globally averaged aerosol optical depth (AOD) due to the stratospheric volcanic aerosol layers was of the order of 0.018 ± 0.009 at 532 nm, ranging from 0.003 to 0.04. Compared to the total column AOD from the available collocated AERONET stations, the stratospheric contribution varied from 2% to 23% at 532 nm.
73 citations
References
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used a single-wavelength elastic return to measure the backscattering coefficient of the stratospheric aerosol cloud produced by the eruption of Mount Pinatubo (June 1991, Philippines).
Abstract: Lidar measurements of the stratospheric aerosol layer have been carried out in Napoli (40°50' N-14°10' E) and Potenza (40°36'N-15°44' E) during the period 1991-1995, covering the history of the aerosol cloud produced by the eruption of Mount Pinatubo (June 1991, Philippines). Measurements are expressed in terms of aerosol backscattering coefficient β A (z), aerosol integrated backscattering IB and aerosol optical thickness τ A at λ = 351 nm and 355 nm ; β A (z) and τ A are determined from a single-wavelength elastic return. IB, τ A , and β max , the peak aerosol backscattering, reached their maximum value in December 1991, displaying a subsequent decay with e-folding times of 237 ± 25, 250 ± 111, and 257 ± 33 days, respectively. R max , the peak scattering ratio, is characterized by a decay time of 235 ± 13 days. Measurements of the extinction-to-backscattering ratio, α A (z)/β A (z), and of the column parameter, τ A /IB, allowed us to retrieve aerosol dimensional characteristics. The time evolution of the height, z c , of the aerosol cloud center of mass was also determined. Downward gravitational settling of stratospheric aerosols with time suggests aerosol particles fall within the size range 0.1-0.3 μm. An abrupt change in IB and β maX is observed approximately 1000 days after the eruption as a result of the winter-summer transition and the tropospheric removal of the lower portion of the stratospheric aerosol layer. Changes in the values of IB, τ A /IB, and z c suggest that this transition is characterized by a change in the aerosol mean radius from 0.3 to 0.1 μm.
34 citations
"Monitoring of the Eyjafjallajökull ..." refers background in this paper
...…have been observed by lidars a long time after they have been ejected in the stratosphere (Langford et al., 1995; Borrmann et al., 1995; Wandinger et al., 1995; Di Girolamo et al., 1996) and less frequently in the troposphere (Pappalardo et al., 2004; Villani et al., 2006; Wang et al., 2008)....
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01 Jun 2010
TL;DR: In-situmeasurementsofsulphurdioxideandparticulatematter were performed at the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) station Zugspitze/Hohenpeissenberg.
Abstract: Volcanic emissions from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano on the Southern fringe of Iceland¨weredetectedatdifferentplacesinGermanybymeansofin-situmeasurements, ozonesondes and a dense network of ceilometers of the German Meteorological Service 5 (DWD).In-situmeasurementsofsulphurdioxideandparticulatematterwereperformedat the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) station Zugspitze/Hohenpeissenberg. At Ho-henpeissenberg, a number of reactive gases, e.g. sulphuric acid, carbon monoxideand nitrogen oxides were additionally measured during the period of interest. Alsoozone sondes were launched at Hohenpeissenberg in the pre-alpine area. A newly 10 established network of ceilometers (Jenoptik CHM15K) at currently 36 meteorologicalstations in Germany provided the temporal evolution of emissions over Germany. Thesensitivity of these instruments with respect to atmospheric aerosols further allowedthe inversion of gathered backscatter profiles, and aerosol extinction coefficients andparticle mass concentration were finally obtained.
30 citations
"Monitoring of the Eyjafjallajökull ..." refers result in this paper
...While many results obtained in northern and central Europe have already been published (Ansmann et al., 2010, 2011; Flentje et al., 2010; Wiegner et al., 2011;, only very few results about the situation in southern Europe can be found in peer-reviewed literature (Papayannis et al., 2011; Mona et…...
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TL;DR: In this article, a set of operational sun photometer sites within AERONET-RIMA and satellite sensors were monitored by the Eyjafjallajokull ash that crossed over Spain and Portugal on 6e12 May 2010.
27 citations
01 Jun 2004
23 citations
TL;DR: A 2-year time series of high resolution lidar backscatter profiles at 0.532 μm, taken at the NOAA Fritz Peak Observatory (39.9°N, 105.3°W) is analyzed to investigate the evolution of the stratospheric aerosol following the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in June, 1991 as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: A 2-year time series of high resolution lidar backscatter profiles at 0.532 μm, taken at the NOAA Fritz Peak Observatory (39.9°N, 105.3°W) is analyzed to investigate the evolution of the stratospheric aerosol following the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in June, 1991. Aerosol from the eruption first appeared as transient layers just above the tropopause in late summer and early fall of 1991. This was followed by a rapid increase in aerosol centered near 21 km, with an exponential risetime of ∼22 days. The maximum in late December 1991 was followed by a slow decline, punctuated by seasonal increases below 18 km and with an exponential decay timescale of ∼300 days near 20 km. Aerosol backscatter is converted to mass and a principal component analysis (PCA) is performed to explore the statistical properties of aerosol variability. More than 80% of the variability in aerosol mass is described by only three components, corresponding to variations in the layers 17–22 km (PC1, 44%), below 17 km (PC2, 27%), and above 22 km (PC3, 9%). Since most of the temporal variations occur independently in these three layers, this work provides further insight into the nature of stratospheric transport from the tropics to midlatitudes.
23 citations
"Monitoring of the Eyjafjallajökull ..." refers background in this paper
...In the past, volcanic aerosols have been observed by lidars a long time after they have been ejected in the stratosphere (Langford et al., 1995; Borrmann et al., 1995; Wandinger et al., 1995; Di Girolamo et al., 1996) and less frequently in the troposphere (Pappalardo et al....
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...In the past, volcanic aerosols have been observed by lidars a long time after they have been ejected in the stratosphere (Langford et al., 1995; Borrmann et al., 1995; Wandinger et al., 1995; Di Girolamo et al., 1996) and less frequently in the troposphere (Pappalardo et al., 2004; Villani et al.,…...
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