Vertical distribution of sand-dust aerosols and the relationships with atmospheric environment

The vertical distribution of aerosols in the troposphere is important for determining their effects on cli- mate. The vertical distribution of aerosols under different atmospheric conditions in the free troposphere was di- rectly observed using a surface micro-pulse LIDAR （MPL） and a TP/WVP-3000 microwave radiometer at the Semi-Arid Climate ＆ Environment Observatory of Lanzhou University （SACOL, 35.95~N, 104.10~E） in the western Loess Plateau, China, in the spring of 2008. The results showed two possible transportation paths of a sandstorm from May 1 to May 4 in 2008. In one path, sand-dust aerosols were transported toward the east from the Taklimakan Desert to the Badain Jaran Desert and the Tengger Desert by a westerly wind and then toward the southeast to Jingtai and Lanzhou. A weak aerosol index （AI） indicated another possible transport path toward the east from the Taklimakan Desert to the Qaidam Basin and through the Tibetan Plateau eastward to SACOL. The aerosol profile of sandstorm processes over the SACOL area displayed three patterns： a single peak distribution under stable at- mospheric conditions, indicating urban aerosol distribution; an exponential decrease under unstable atmospheric conditions in the presence of a sandstorm; and a slight change in the mixed layer during the first and last stages of the sandstorm, indicative of thorough mixing during lifting and deposition stages. Analyses of the aerosol layer height （ALH） showed that there are two types of ALH diurnal variation. The ALH during the first sandstorm stage was complex and disordered, and affected by atmospheric circulation. While the ALH had obvious diurnal variation in the other stage, the ALH and aerosol extinction coefficient （AEC） had a single peak, and was higher in the af- ternoon and lower in the morning. In the second case the ALH was in agreement with the atmospheric boundary layer height （BLH） variation. As a result of the development of the atmospheric boundary layer （ABL） during day and maintenance at night, ALH during sandstorm-free days showed obvious diurnal variations. Multiple vertical distribu- tion patterns of sand-dust aerosols will result in different climate effects; therefore, the vertical distribution patterns can be used to parameterize climate and aerosol models.

Aerosol structure and vertical distribution in a multi-source dust region

The vertical distribution of aerosols was directly observed under various atmospheric conditions in the free troposphere using surface micro-pulse lidar （MPL4） at the Zhangye Station （39.08°N, 100.27°E） in western China in the spring of 2008. The study shows that the aerosol distribution over Zhangye can be vertically classified into upper, middle and lower layers with altitudes of 4.5 to 9 km, 2.5 to 4.5 kin, and less than 2.5 km, respectively. The aerosol in the upper layer originated from the external sources at higher altitude regions, from far desert regions upwind of Zhangye or transported from higher atmospheric layers by free convection, and the altitude of this aerosol layer decreased with time; the aerosols in the middle and lower layers originated from both external and local sources. The aerosol extinction coefficients in the upper and lower layers decreased with altitude, whereas the coefficient in the middle layer changed only slightly, which suggests that aerosol mixing occurs in the middle layer. The distribution of aerosols with altitude has three features： a single peak that forms under stable atmospheric conditions, an exponential decrease with altitude that occurs under unstable atmospheric conditions, and slight change in the mixed layer. Due to the impact of the top of the atmospheric boundary layer, the diurnal variation in the aerosol extinction coefficient has a single peak, which is higher in the afternoon and lower in the morning.

VERTICAL DISTRIBUTION OF ATMOSPHERIC AEROSOL CONCENTRATION AT XIANGHE

This paper summarizes atmospheric aerosol concentrations of 5 stratospheric balloon soundings during the period from 1984 to 1994. Aerosol-rich layers in the troposphere were detected and the causes were analyzed. The main results are as follows: (1) the vertical distribution of the atmospheric aerosol is affected by atmospheric dynamic processes, humidity, etc.; (2) the tropospheric column concentrations of aerosol were 72.2×105, 20.2×105, 20.7×105 and 34.4×105 cm-2 and occupying 81%, 61% and 60% of the 0-to-30 km aerosol column, on Aug. 23, 1984, Aug. 22, 1993, Sept. 12, 1993 and Sept. 15, 1994, respectively; (3) the effect of volcano eruption was still evident in the aerosol profiles, 28 and 27 months after the El Chichon and Pinatubo eruption; (4) the aerosol concentration in the troposphere did not decrease at all heights as atmospheric aerosol model.