Aerosol optical depth at the ARM Mobile Facility deployments

 

Authors

Annette S. Koontz — Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Evgueni Kassianov — Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Connor J. Flynn — University of Oklahoma School of Meteorology

Category

Aerosol Properties

Description

The aerosol optical depth (AOD) is the most fundamental property related to the abundance of aerosol in the atmospheric column and its direct radiative effect. This property is of critical importance in describing the significance of aerosols present at a given location. One of the key instruments within ARM capable of retrieving this core parameter is the multifilter rotating shadowband radiometer (MFRSR). The MFRSR-AOD value-added product has been operating routinely for ARM fixed-sites for several years; however, the automated routines developed for these locations were repeatedly challenged by the unique conditions presented by AMF locations.

We describe adaptations of the automated routines that were implemented to retrieve AOD from the MFRSR instruments at the AMF deployments. Time series of successful AOD retrievals spanning the duration of each AMF deployment are presented.