干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

Aerosols direct and indirect effects on the Earth's climate are widely recognized but have yet to be adequately quantified. Aerosol particles scatter and absorb the radiation while at the same time acting as cloud condensation nuclei and thus entering the cloud formation process, influencing their microphysics and eventually the precipitation processes. Therefore the assessment of the aerosol optical properties is of greatest importance. Difficulties arise due to the very high spatial and temporal variability of aerosol concentration, which is the major cause of uncertainties in quantifying the atmospheric radiative forcing.

A method to exploit the synergy between the polar orbiting Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GONE) onboard ERS-2 and the METEOSAT geostationary system was proposed(1), aiming at increasing the accuracy of the aerosol characterization and monitoring of the optical thickness. Results of the ongoing validation are presented for relevant transport events of desert dust and biomass burning aerosol over the Atlantic and Indian Oceans during year 2000. Retrieved aerosol optical properties are combined with radiative transfer calculations to assess the direct short wave aerosol radiative forcing in selected regions over the ocean, where strong aerosol events are detected. Retrievals are compared with space-time co-located measurements from the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) TOA flux product.