Absorption Coefficient of Atmospheric Aerosol: a Method for Measurement

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Abstract
Recent models predict that the effect of atmospheric aerosol particles on global temperature depends in part on babs, or on n2, where babs is the aerosol absorption coefficient, and n2 is the imaginary part of the aerosol refractive index for radiation in visible wavelengths. Satisfactory techniques for measuring babs have yet to be developed. A method for measurement of babs is described and discussed. The apparatus uses a piece of opal glass to integrate light scattered by particles collected on Nuclepore filters. It is quite mobile, inexpensive, and can be calibrated. Analysis of the errors inherent in the measurement shows it is accurate to well within an order of magnitude for particles of radius larger than 0.1 μm.