MAX‐DOAS O4 measurements: A new technique to derive information on atmospheric aerosols—Principles and information content
Top Cited Papers
- 24 November 2004
- journal article
- Published by American Geophysical Union (AGU) in Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres
- Vol. 109 (D22)
- https://doi.org/10.1029/2004jd004904
Abstract
Multi AXis Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (MAX‐DOAS) observations of the oxygen dimer O4 which can serve as a new method for the determination of atmospheric aerosol properties are presented. Like established methods, e.g., Sun radiometer and LIDAR measurements, MAX‐DOAS O4 observations determine optical properties of aerosol under atmospheric conditions (not dried). However, the novel technique has two major advantages: It utilizes differential O4 absorption structures and thus does not require absolute radiometric calibration. In addition, O4 observations using this method provide a new kind of information: since the atmospheric O4 profile depends strongly on altitude, they can yield information on the atmospheric light path distribution and in particular on the atmospheric aerosol profile. From O4 observations during clear days and from atmospheric radiative transfer modeling, we conclude that our new method is especially sensitive to the aerosol extinction close to the ground. In addition, O4 observations using this method yield information on the penetration depth of the incident direct solar radiation. O4 observations at different azimuth angles can also provide information on the aerosol scattering phase function. We found that MAX‐DOAS O4 observations are a very sensitive method: even aerosol extinction below 0.001 could be detected. In addition to the O4 absorptions we also investigated the magnitude of the Ring effect and the (relative) intensity. Both quantities yield valuable further information on atmospheric aerosols. From the simultaneous analysis of the observed O4 absorption and the measured intensity, in particular, information on the absorbing properties of the aerosols might be derived. The aerosol information derived from MAX‐DOAS observations can be used for the quantitative analysis of various trace gases also analyzed from the measured spectra.Keywords
This publication has 70 references indexed in Scilit:
- MAX‐DOAS measurements of BrO and NO2 in the marine boundary layerGeophysical Research Letters, 2003
- Measurements of molecular absorption spectra with the SCIAMACHY pre-flight model: instrument characterization and reference data for atmospheric remote-sensing in the 230–2380 nm regionJournal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry, 2003
- Temperature dependence of the absorption cross sections of formaldehyde between 223 and 323 K in the wavelength range 225–375 nmJournal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 2000
- Intercomparison of the influence of tropospheric clouds on UV‐visible absorptions Detected during the NDSC Intercomparison Campaign at OHP in June 1996Geophysical Research Letters, 1999
- First geometrical path length probability density function derivation of the skylight from high‐resolution oxygen A‐band spectroscopy: 2. Derivation of the Lévy index for the skylight transmitted by midlatitude cloudsJournal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 1999
- Geometrical path length probability density functions of the skylight transmitted by midlatitude cloudy skies: Some case studiesGeophysical Research Letters, 1998
- First geometrical pathlengths probability density function derivation of the skylight from spectroscopically highly resolving oxygen A‐band observations: 1. Measurement technique, atmospheric observations and model calculationsJournal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 1998
- Measurements of the NO2 absorption cross-section from 42 000 cm−1 to 10 000 cm−1 (238–1000 nm) at 220 K and 294 KJournal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer, 1998
- Radiative forcing and climate responseJournal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 1997
- Size distribution and scattering phase function of aerosol particles retrieved from sky brightness measurementsJournal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 1994