HSRL-2 Observations of Aerosol Variability During an Aerosol Build-up Event in Houston and Comparisons With WRF-ChemThe NASA Langley airborne multi-wavelength High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL-2) provides vertical distribution of aerosol optical properties as curtains of aerosol extinction, backscatter and depolarization along the flight track, plus intensive properties that are used to infer aerosol type and external mixing of types. Deployed aboard the NASA Langley King Air on the DISCOVER-AQ field mission in Houston in September 2013, HSRL-2 flew a pattern that included 18 ground sites, repeated four times a day, coordinated with a suite of airborne in situ measurements. The horizontally and vertically resolved curtains of HSRL-2 measurements give an unparalleled view of the spatial and temporal variability of aerosol, which provide broad context for interpreting other measurements and models. Detailed comparisons of aerosol extinction are made with the WRF-Chem chemical transport model along the HSRL-2 flight path. The period from Sept. 11-14 is notable for a large aerosol build-up and persistent smoke layers. We investigate the aerosol properties using the vertically resolved HSRL-2 measurements and aerosol typing analysis plus WRFChem model tracers and back trajectories, and modeling of humidification effects.
Document ID
20160007393
Acquisition Source
Langley Research Center
Document Type
Presentation
Authors
Burton, Sharon P. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Saide, Pablo (Iowa Univ. Iowa City, IA, United States)
Sawamura, Patricia (Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Inc. Hampton, VA, United States)
Hostetler, Chris (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Ferrare, Rich (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Scarino, Amy Jo (Science Systems and Applications, Inc. Hampton, VA, United States)
Berkoff, Tim (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Harper, David (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Cook, Tony (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Rogers, Ray (Lord Fairfax Community Coll. Middletown, VA, United States)
Carmichael, Greg (Iowa Univ. Iowa City, IA, United States)