Aerosol optical properties and its direct radiative forcing over Tibetan Plateau from 2006 to 2017

• Published in: Particuology Vol. 74; pp. 64 - 73
• Main Authors: Bi, Hongru, Chen, Siyu, Zhao, Dan, Lu, Fuquan, Chen, Yu, Guan, Yawen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.03.2023
• Subjects: Aerosol optical depth; Direct radiative forcing; Santa Barbara DISORT Atmospheric Radiative Transfer Model; Single scattering albedo; Tibetan plateau; Santa Barbara DISORT Atmospheric Radiative Transfer Model; Tibetan plateau; Direct radiative forcing; Single scattering albedo; Aerosol optical depth
• ISSN: 1674-2001; 2210-4291
• DOI: 10.1016/j.partic.2022.05.007

Studies on optical properties of aerosols can reduce the uncertainty for modelling direct radiative forcing (DRF) and improve the accuracy for discussing aerosols effects on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) climate. This study investigated the spatiotemporal variation of aerosol optical and microphysical properties over TP based on OMI and MERRA2, and assessed the influence of aerosol optical properties on DRF at NamCo station (30°46.44′N, 90°59.31′E, 4730 m) in the central TP from 2006 to 2017 based on a long measurement of AERONET and the modelling of SBDART model. The results show that aerosol optical depth (AOD) exhibits obvious seasonal variation over TP, with higher AOD500nm (>0.75) during spring and summer, and lower value (<0.25) in autumn and winter. The aerosol concentrations show a fluctuated rising from 1980 to 2000, significant increasing from 2000 to 2010 and slight declining trend after 2013. Based on sensitivity experiments, it is found that AOD and single scattering albedo (SSA) have more important impact on the DRF compared with α values and ASY. When AOD440nm increases by 60%, DRF at the TOA and ATM is increased by 57.2% and 60.2%, respectively. When SSA440nm increases by 20%, DRF at the TOA and ATM decreases by 121% and 96.7%, respectively. [Display omitted] •Spatiotemporal distributions of aerosols over Tibetan Plateau (TP) for a long time.•Long-term variation of aerosol optical properties at different wavelength at NamCo.•Quantifying influence of different aerosol optical parameters on direct radiative forcing at NamCo of TP.