Evaluation of Aerosol Observing System Siting at the ARM Eastern North Atlantic Site: Implications for data quality and meeting ARM and ASR Science Objectives

Poster PDF

Description

The DOE Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Facility deploys comprehensive suites of instruments for climate research measurements globally, with the intent of characterizing specific climate regions or regimes. Part of this suite of measurements is the Aerosol Observing System (AOS) that encompasses a wide range of surface in situ aerosol optical, physical, and chemical properties for aerosol radiative effect and cloud interaction studies. All AOS measurements are made as part of a larger system that samples common air through an elevated stack to avoid turbidity produced by surface activities. Nonetheless, these aerosol measurements are highly sensitivity to local aerosol sources and the siting of the AOS can have large implications on the quality of the data set for the intended regional-scale scientific objectives. Contamination of AOS measurements at ENA from the neighboring airport have been identified and are presented here with implications for a regionally representative data set and potential mitigation strategies. This work serves to improve the utility of the AOS measurements at ENA, but also as a case study for all future AOS siting. Logistical and security considerations – specifically, locating in a safe area that has power and infrastructure to support such a large array of measurements – almost always ensures that some element of local contamination will affect AOS instruments. Findings from this study would be useful to the global aerosol community to help guide better siting and mitigation practices into the future for ARM and its partners.