Optical Properties and Source Analysis of Aerosols over a Desert Area in Dunhuang,Northwest China

Aerosol observational data for 2012 obtained from Dunhuang Station of CARE-China（Campaign on Atmospheric Aerosol Research Network of China） were analyzed to achieve in-depth knowledge of aerosol optical properties over Dunhuang region. The results showed that the annual average aerosol optical depth（AOD） at 500 nm was 0.32 ± 0.06, and the ？ngstr？m exponent（α） was 0.73 ± 0.27. Aerosol optical properties revealed significant seasonal characteristics. Frequent sandstorms in MAM（March–April–May） resulted in the seasonal maximum AOD, 0.41 ± 0.04, and a relatively smaller αvalue, 0.44 ± 0.04. The tourism seasons, JJA（June–July–August） and SON（September–October–November） coincide with serious emissions of small anthropogenic aerosols. While in DJF（December–January–February）, the composition of the atmosphere was a mixture of dust particles and polluted aerosols released by domestic heating; the average AOD and αwere 0.29 ± 0.02 and 0.66 ± 0.17, respectively. Different air masses exhibited different degrees of influence on the aerosol concentration over Dunhuang in different seasons. During MAM, ranges of AOD（0.11–1.18） and α（0.06–0.82） were the largest under the dust influence of northwest-short-distance air mass in the four trajectories. Urban aerosols transported by northwest-short-distance air mass accounted for a very large proportion in JJA and the mixed aerosols observed in SON were mainly conveyed by air masses from the west. In DJF, the similar ranges of AOD and α under the three air mass demonstrated the analogous diffusion effects on regional pollutants over Dunhuang.

Optical,Radiative and Chemical Characteristics of Aerosol in Changsha City,Central China

Industrial pollution has a significant effect on aerosol properties in Changsha City,a typical city of central China.Therefore,year-round measurements of aerosol optical,radiative and chemical properties from 2012 to 2014 at an urban site in Changsha were analyzed.During the observation period,the energy structure was continuously optimized,which was characterized by the reduction of coal combustion.The aerosol properties have obvious seasonal variations.The seasonal average aerosol optical depth(AOD)at 500 nm ranged from 0.49 to 1.00,single scattering albedo(SSA)ranged from 0.93 to 0.97,and aerosol radiative forcing at the top of the atmosphere(TOA)ranged from−24.0 to 3.8 W m^−2.The chemical components also showed seasonal variations.Meanwhile,the scattering aerosol,such as organic carbon,SO42−,NO3−,and NH4+showed a decrease,and elemental carbon increased.Compared with observation in winter 2012,AOD and TOA decreased by 0.14 and−1.49 W m^−2 in winter 2014.The scattering components,SO42−,NO3−and NH4+,decreased by 12.8μg m^−3(56.8%),9.2μg m^−3(48.8%)and 6.4μg m^−3(45.2%),respectively.The atmospheric visibility and pollution diffusion conditions improved.The extinction and radiative forcing of aerosol were significantly controlled by the scattering aerosol.The results indicate that Changsha is an industrial city with strong scattering aerosol.The energy structure optimization had a marked effect on controlling pollution,especially in winter(strong scattering aerosol).