A methodology for investigating dust model performance using synergistic EARLINET/AERONET dust concentration retrievals

2015
Authors
Binietoglou, Ioannis
Basart, Sara

Alados-Arboledas, L.
Amiridis, V.

Argyrouli, A.
Baars, H.

Baldasano, Jose Maria

Balis, D.

Belegante, L.
Bravo-Aranda, J.A.
Burlizzi, P.
Carrasco, V.
Chaikovsky, A.
Comeron, Adolfo

D'Amico, Giuseppe
Filioglou, M.

Granados-Munoz, Maria Jose
Guerrero-Rascado, J.L.
Ilić, L.
Kokkalis, Panos

Maurizi, A.

Mona, L.
Monti, F.
Munoz-Porcar, Constantino
Nicolae, D.
Papayannis, Alexander

Pappalardo, Gelsomina
Pejanović, Goran
Pereira, S.N.
Perrone, M.R.

Pietruczuk, Aleksander

Posyniak, M.

Rocadenbosch, F.

Rodriguez-Gomez, A.
Sicard, M.

Siomos, N.

Szkop, A.

Terradellas, E.
Tsekeri, A.
Vuković, Ana

Wandinger, U.
Wagner, J.
Article (Published version)
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Systematic measurements of dust concentration profiles at a continental scale were recently made possible by the development of synergistic retrieval algorithms using combined lidar and sun photometer data and the establishment of robust remote-sensing networks in the framework of Aerosols, Clouds, and Trace gases Research Infra-Structure Network (ACTRIS)/European Aerosol Research Lidar Network (EARLINET). We present a methodology for using these capabilities as a tool for examining the performance of dust transport models. The methodology includes considerations for the selection of a suitable data set and appropriate metrics for the exploration of the results. The approach is demonstrated for four regional dust transport models (BSC-DREAM8b v2, NMMB/BSC-DUST, DREAM-ABOL, DREAM8-NMME-MACC) using dust observations performed at 10 ACTRIS/EARLINET stations. The observations, which include coincident multi-wavelength lidar and sun photometer measurements, were processed with the Lidar-Rad...iometer Inversion Code (LIRIC) to retrieve aerosol concentration profiles. The methodology proposed here shows advantages when compared to traditional evaluation techniques that utilize separately the available measurements such as separating the contribution of dust from other aerosol types on the lidar profiles and avoiding model assumptions related to the conversion of concentration fields to aerosol extinction values. When compared to LIRIC retrievals, the simulated dust vertical structures were found to be in good agreement for all models with correlation values between 0.5 and 0.7 in the 1-6 km range, where most dust is typically observed. The absolute dust concentration was typically underestimated with mean bias values of -40 to -20 mu g m(-3) at 2 km, the altitude of maximum mean concentration. The reported differences among the models found in this comparison indicate the benefit of the systematic use of the proposed approach in future dust model evaluation studies.
Source:
Atmospheric Measurement Techniques, 2015, 8, 9, 3577-3600Publisher:
- Copernicus Gesellschaft Mbh, Gottingen
Funding / projects:
- ACTRIS Research Infrastructure Project - European Union Seventh Framework Programme [262254]
- European UnionEuropean Union (EU) [289923 - ITaRS]
- CICYT projectConsejo Interinstitucional de Ciencia y Tecnologia (CICYT) [CGL2010-19652, CGL2013-46736]
- Severo Ochoa programme of the Spanish Government [SEV-2011-00067]
- Studying climate change and its influence on environment: impacts, adaptation and mitigation (RS-43007)
- Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Serbia [III43007. BSC-DREAM8b]
DOI: 10.5194/amt-8-3577-2015
ISSN: 1867-1381