Using Longwave Infrared Hyperspectral Imaging for a Quantitative Atmospheric Tracer Monitoring in Outdoor Environments

Quantitative real-time retrieval of concentration-lengths (CL) through gaseous plumes is an important tool for environmental monitoring, enabling remote monitoring of emissions from industrial facilities and risk assessment in scenarios of toxic gas releases. The adoption of LWIR (Long Wave InfraRed) hyperspectral imaging as a leading technique for remote gas plume detection paved the way for an introduction of a precise CL estimation and two-dimensional (2D) mapping. A novel methodology for evaluating and characterizing the performance of a retrieval algorithm is presented. The algorithm utilizes state-of-the-art retrieved hyperspectral 2D mapping and is applied on a series of localized atmospheric tracer gas (SF6) releases in monitored environmental conditions. The retrieved CL distributions are compared to a numeric atmospheric T&D (Transport and Diffusion) model. Satisfactory agreement between retrieved and simulated CL prediction is manifested, and the uncertainty involved is quantified. Possible sources for the remained discrepancies between retrieved and simulated CL values are characterized, and methods to minimize them are discussed.

Simulation and Validation of the Aerosol Optical Thickness over China in 2006

The Model of Atmospheric Transport and Chemistry （MATCH） developed by the US National Center for Atmospheric Research （NCAR） was used to calculate the aerosol optical thickness （AOT） over China in 2006, with emission source data of the Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment Phase B （INTEX-B） and NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data as inputs. The simulation results of AOT were then validated with obser- vational data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer （MODIS）, Chinese Sun Hazemeter Network （CSHNET）, Aerosol Robotics Network （AERONET）, and China Aerosol Remote Sensing Network （CARSNET） at more than 30 stations over China. The comparison results indicated that the high values of AOT in the areas such as the Sichuan basin and East and South China and the low values of AOT over the Tibetan Plateau and Northwest and Northeast China were reasonably simulated by the MATCH. This model tended to underestimate the AOT values in high-aerosol-loading areas but overestimate the AOT val- ues in less polluted areas because there are still large uncertainties in the expression of emission sources, the description of the optical properties of aerosols, the treatment of cloud and precipitation, and the selection of grid resolution. The modeling results were consistent with the CSHNET, CARSNET, AERONET, and MODIS data in most parts of China, and the correlation coefficient of the monthly mean AOT between the model and the observation was 0.79 with CSHNET data at 23 stations, 0.51 with MODIS data, and 0.88 with data at 3 CARSNET stations and 2 other stations. All of them passed the significance test with c 〈 0.0001. The results demonstrated that the MATCH has the ability to simulate the characteristics of the AOT distribution and its seasonal variation over China.