Aerosol optical properties and large-scale transport of air masses: Observations at a coastal and a semiarid site in the eastern Mediterranean during summer 1998

P. Formenti, M. O. Andreae, T. W. Andreae, E. Galani, A. Vasaras, C. Zerefos, V. Amiridis, L. Orlovsky, A. Karnieli, M. Wendisch, H. Wex, B. N. Holben, W. Maenhaut, J. Lelieveld

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

68 Scopus citations

Abstract

Spectral measurements of the aerosol particle scattering coefficient δs and the aerosol optical depth τa were conducted at Ouranoupolis (Greece, 40°23′N, 23°57′E) and at Sde Boker (Israel, 30°51′N, 34°47′E) between June and September 1998. Measurements were related to 5-day three-dimensional back trajectories at 950, 850, and 550 hPa to assess the influence of long-range transport from particular source regions to the aerosol load at the two sites. Our measurements show that the eastern Mediterranean basin is moderately to highly polluted during summer. Daily average δs values at 550 nm were typically in the range of 30-200 Mm-1 at both sites. The range obtained for the summer regional aerosol optical depth τa was 0.03-0.52 at 500 nm. Enhanced aerosol extinction was related to transport of polluted air masses from western and eastern Europe. High-altitude transport of mineral dust from northern Africa was observed at both sites, particularly in Israel.

Original languageEnglish
Article number2000JD900609
Pages (from-to)9807-9826
Number of pages20
JournalJournal of Geophysical Research
Volume106
Issue numberD9
DOIs
StatePublished - 16 May 2001

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geophysics
  • Oceanography
  • Forestry
  • Aquatic Science
  • Ecology
  • Water Science and Technology
  • Soil Science
  • Geochemistry and Petrology
  • Earth-Surface Processes
  • Atmospheric Science
  • Space and Planetary Science
  • Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous)
  • Paleontology

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