A 3-D evaluation of the MACC reanalysis dust product over Europe, northern Africa and Middle East using CALIOP/CALIPSO dust satellite observations

The MACC reanalysis dust product is evaluated over Europe, northern Africa and the Middle East using the EARLINET-optimized CALIOP/CALIPSO pure dust satellite-based product LIVAS (2007–2012). MACC dust optical depth at 550 nm (DOD<sub>550</sub>) data are compared against LIVAS DOD<...

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Main Authors: A. K. Georgoulias, A. Tsikerdekis, V. Amiridis, E. Marinou, A. Benedetti, P. Zanis, G. Alexandri, L. Mona, K. A. Kourtidis, J. Lelieveld
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2018-06-01
Series:Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Online Access:https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/18/8601/2018/acp-18-8601-2018.pdf
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author A. K. Georgoulias
A. K. Georgoulias
A. K. Georgoulias
A. K. Georgoulias
A. K. Georgoulias
A. Tsikerdekis
V. Amiridis
E. Marinou
E. Marinou
E. Marinou
A. Benedetti
P. Zanis
G. Alexandri
L. Mona
K. A. Kourtidis
J. Lelieveld
J. Lelieveld
spellingShingle A. K. Georgoulias
A. K. Georgoulias
A. K. Georgoulias
A. K. Georgoulias
A. K. Georgoulias
A. Tsikerdekis
V. Amiridis
E. Marinou
E. Marinou
E. Marinou
A. Benedetti
P. Zanis
G. Alexandri
L. Mona
K. A. Kourtidis
J. Lelieveld
J. Lelieveld
A 3-D evaluation of the MACC reanalysis dust product over Europe, northern Africa and Middle East using CALIOP/CALIPSO dust satellite observations
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
author_facet A. K. Georgoulias
A. K. Georgoulias
A. K. Georgoulias
A. K. Georgoulias
A. K. Georgoulias
A. Tsikerdekis
V. Amiridis
E. Marinou
E. Marinou
E. Marinou
A. Benedetti
P. Zanis
G. Alexandri
L. Mona
K. A. Kourtidis
J. Lelieveld
J. Lelieveld
author_sort A. K. Georgoulias
title A 3-D evaluation of the MACC reanalysis dust product over Europe, northern Africa and Middle East using CALIOP/CALIPSO dust satellite observations
title_short A 3-D evaluation of the MACC reanalysis dust product over Europe, northern Africa and Middle East using CALIOP/CALIPSO dust satellite observations
title_full A 3-D evaluation of the MACC reanalysis dust product over Europe, northern Africa and Middle East using CALIOP/CALIPSO dust satellite observations
title_fullStr A 3-D evaluation of the MACC reanalysis dust product over Europe, northern Africa and Middle East using CALIOP/CALIPSO dust satellite observations
title_full_unstemmed A 3-D evaluation of the MACC reanalysis dust product over Europe, northern Africa and Middle East using CALIOP/CALIPSO dust satellite observations
title_sort 3-d evaluation of the macc reanalysis dust product over europe, northern africa and middle east using caliop/calipso dust satellite observations
publisher Copernicus Publications
series Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
issn 1680-7316
1680-7324
publishDate 2018-06-01
description The MACC reanalysis dust product is evaluated over Europe, northern Africa and the Middle East using the EARLINET-optimized CALIOP/CALIPSO pure dust satellite-based product LIVAS (2007–2012). MACC dust optical depth at 550 nm (DOD<sub>550</sub>) data are compared against LIVAS DOD<sub>532</sub> observations. As only natural aerosol (dust and sea salt) profiles are available in MACC, here we focus on layers above 1 km a.s.l. to diminish the influence of sea salt particles that typically reside at low heights. So, MACC natural aerosol extinction coefficient profiles at 550 nm are compared against dust extinction coefficient profiles at 532 nm from LIVAS, assuming that the MACC natural aerosol profile data can be similar to the dust profile data, especially over pure continental regions. It is shown that the reanalysis data are capable of capturing the major dust hot spots in the area as the MACC DOD<sub>550</sub> patterns are close to the LIVAS DOD<sub>532</sub> patterns throughout the year. MACC overestimates DOD for regions with low dust loadings and underestimates DOD for regions with high dust loadings where DOD exceeds  ∼  0.3. The mean bias between the MACC and LIVAS DOD is 0.025 ( ∼  25 %) over the whole domain. Both MACC and LIVAS capture the summer and spring high dust loadings, especially over northern Africa and the Middle East, and exhibit similar monthly structures despite the biases. In this study, dust extinction coefficient patterns are reported at four layers (layer 1: 1200–3000 m a.s.l., layer 2: 3000–4800 m a.s.l., layer 3: 4800–6600 m a.s.l. and layer 4: 6600–8400 m a.s.l.). The MACC and LIVAS extinction coefficient patterns are similar over areas characterized by high dust loadings for the first three layers. Within layer 4, MACC overestimates extinction coefficients consistently throughout the year over the whole domain. MACC overestimates extinction coefficients compared to LIVAS over regions away from the major dust sources while over regions close to the dust sources (the Sahara and Middle East) it underestimates strongly only for heights below  ∼  3–5 km a.s.l. depending on the period of the year. In general, it is shown that dust loadings appear over remote regions and at heights up to 9 km a.s.l. in MACC contrary to LIVAS. This could be due to the model performance and parameterizations of emissions and other processes, due to the assimilation of satellite aerosol measurements over dark surfaces only or due to a possible enhancement of aerosols by the MACC assimilation system.
url https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/18/8601/2018/acp-18-8601-2018.pdf
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spelling doaj-387973b1f97b473588ad3108de60dcb22020-11-24T22:19:22ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242018-06-01188601862010.5194/acp-18-8601-2018A 3-D evaluation of the MACC reanalysis dust product over Europe, northern Africa and Middle East using CALIOP/CALIPSO dust satellite observationsA. K. Georgoulias0A. K. Georgoulias1A. K. Georgoulias2A. K. Georgoulias3A. K. Georgoulias4A. Tsikerdekis5V. Amiridis6E. Marinou7E. Marinou8E. Marinou9A. Benedetti10P. Zanis11G. Alexandri12L. Mona13K. A. Kourtidis14J. Lelieveld15J. Lelieveld16Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, Xanthi, GreeceMax Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz, GermanyEnergy, Environment and Water Research Center, The Cyprus Institute, Nicosia, Cypruscurrent address: Institute for Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Application and Remote Sensing, National Observatory of Athens, Athens, Greececurrent address: Department of Meteorology and Climatology, School of Geology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, GreeceDepartment of Meteorology and Climatology, School of Geology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, GreeceInstitute for Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Application and Remote Sensing, National Observatory of Athens, Athens, GreeceInstitute for Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Application and Remote Sensing, National Observatory of Athens, Athens, GreeceLaboratory of Atmospheric Physics, Department of Physics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, GreeceInstitut für Physik der Atmosphäre, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft und Raumfahrt (DLR), Oberpfaffenhofen, GermanyEuropean Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, Reading, UKDepartment of Meteorology and Climatology, School of Geology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, GreeceDepartment of Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, Xanthi, GreeceIstituto di Metodologie per l'Analisi Ambientale, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Potenza, ItalyDepartment of Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, Xanthi, GreeceMax Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz, GermanyEnergy, Environment and Water Research Center, The Cyprus Institute, Nicosia, CyprusThe MACC reanalysis dust product is evaluated over Europe, northern Africa and the Middle East using the EARLINET-optimized CALIOP/CALIPSO pure dust satellite-based product LIVAS (2007–2012). MACC dust optical depth at 550 nm (DOD<sub>550</sub>) data are compared against LIVAS DOD<sub>532</sub> observations. As only natural aerosol (dust and sea salt) profiles are available in MACC, here we focus on layers above 1 km a.s.l. to diminish the influence of sea salt particles that typically reside at low heights. So, MACC natural aerosol extinction coefficient profiles at 550 nm are compared against dust extinction coefficient profiles at 532 nm from LIVAS, assuming that the MACC natural aerosol profile data can be similar to the dust profile data, especially over pure continental regions. It is shown that the reanalysis data are capable of capturing the major dust hot spots in the area as the MACC DOD<sub>550</sub> patterns are close to the LIVAS DOD<sub>532</sub> patterns throughout the year. MACC overestimates DOD for regions with low dust loadings and underestimates DOD for regions with high dust loadings where DOD exceeds  ∼  0.3. The mean bias between the MACC and LIVAS DOD is 0.025 ( ∼  25 %) over the whole domain. Both MACC and LIVAS capture the summer and spring high dust loadings, especially over northern Africa and the Middle East, and exhibit similar monthly structures despite the biases. In this study, dust extinction coefficient patterns are reported at four layers (layer 1: 1200–3000 m a.s.l., layer 2: 3000–4800 m a.s.l., layer 3: 4800–6600 m a.s.l. and layer 4: 6600–8400 m a.s.l.). The MACC and LIVAS extinction coefficient patterns are similar over areas characterized by high dust loadings for the first three layers. Within layer 4, MACC overestimates extinction coefficients consistently throughout the year over the whole domain. MACC overestimates extinction coefficients compared to LIVAS over regions away from the major dust sources while over regions close to the dust sources (the Sahara and Middle East) it underestimates strongly only for heights below  ∼  3–5 km a.s.l. depending on the period of the year. In general, it is shown that dust loadings appear over remote regions and at heights up to 9 km a.s.l. in MACC contrary to LIVAS. This could be due to the model performance and parameterizations of emissions and other processes, due to the assimilation of satellite aerosol measurements over dark surfaces only or due to a possible enhancement of aerosols by the MACC assimilation system.https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/18/8601/2018/acp-18-8601-2018.pdf