On the evaluation of global sea-salt aerosol models at coastal/orographic sites

• Published in: Atmospheric environment (1994) Vol. 101; no. C; pp. 41 - 48
• Main Authors: Spada, M., Jorba, O., Pérez García-Pando, C., Janjic, Z., Baldasano, J.M.
• Format: Journal Article Publication
• Language: English
• Published: Goddard Space Flight Center Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2015; Elsevier
• Subjects: Aerosols atmosfèrics; Air quality; Aire; Aspectes ambientals; Atmospheric aerosols; Ciències de la terra i de la vida; CLIMATE; Climatologia; Climatologia i meteorologia; Climatology; Coastal sites; Coasts; Contaminació atmosfèrica; Costes; Degradació ambiental; Desenvolupament humà i sostenible; DUST; Enginyeria agroalimentària; Environmental aspects; Global model evaluation; MASS; Mathematical models; Measurement; MESOSCALE RAINFALL; Mesurament; Meteorology And Climatology; Mineral dust; Models matemàtics; Orographic effects; PARAMETERIZATION; Pols mineral; Qualitat; RESOLUTION; Sea-salt aerosol; SENSITIVITY; SIMULATION; SOUTHERN ALPS; Surface concentration measurements; University of Miami Network; ZEALAND PRECIPITATION EVENTS; Àrees temàtiques de la UPC; PSE, New Zealand; ISW, Indian Ocean; ASW, USA, Florida, Miami; New Zealand, North I., Wellington, Baring Head; Coastal sites; Orographic effects; Surface concentration measurements; Sea-salt aerosol; University of Miami Network; Global model evaluation; Sea-Salt Aerosol; Global Model Evaluation; Surface Concentration Measurements
• ISSN: 1352-2310; 1873-2844
• DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2014.11.019

Sea-salt aerosol global models are typically evaluated against concentration observations at coastal stations that are unaffected by local surf conditions and thus considered representative of open ocean conditions. Despite recent improvements in sea-salt source functions, studies still show significant model errors in specific regions. Using a multiscale model, we investigated the effect of high model resolution (0.1° × 0.1° vs. 1° × 1.4°) upon sea-salt patterns in four stations from the University of Miami Network: Baring Head, Chatam Island, and Invercargill in New Zealand, and Marion Island in the sub-antarctic Indian Ocean. Normalized biases improved from +63.7% to +3.3% and correlation increased from 0.52 to 0.84. The representation of sea/land interfaces, mesoscale circulations, and precipitation with the higher resolution model played a major role in the simulation of annual concentration trends. Our results recommend caution when comparing or constraining global models using surface concentration observations from coastal stations. •Sea-salt global models are often compared to surface concentration climatologies.•Models exhibit strong biases at several coastal stations.•Mesoscale phenomena can significantly affect model behavior in coastal stations.•High model resolution strongly improved annual concentration trends.•Caution may be taken when comparing global models in coastal stations.