Aircraft measurements of the vertical distribution of sulfur dioxide and aerosol scattering coefficient in China

Likun Xue, Aijun Ding, Jian Gao, Tao Wang, Wenxing Wang, Xuezhong Wang, Hengchi Lei, Dezhen Jin, Yanbin Qi

Research output: Journal article publicationJournal articleAcademic researchpeer-review

34 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Information on the vertical distribution of air pollution is important for understanding its sources and processes and validating satellite retrievals and chemical transport models. This paper reports the results of the measurements of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and aerosol scattering coefficient (Bsp) obtained from several aircraft campaigns during summer and autumn 2007 in the north-eastern (NE), north-western (NW), and central-eastern (CE) regions of China. Their vertical profiles over the three regions with contrasting emission characteristics and climates are compared. Very high concentrations/values of SO2and Bsp(with a value of up to 51 ppbv and 950 Mm-1, respectively) were recorded in the lower planetary boundary layer in CE China, indicating high SO2emissions in the region. The SO2column concentrations determined from the in-situ measurements were compared with Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) SO2retrievals. The results show that the OMI data could distinguish the varying levels of SO2pollution in the study regions, but appeared to have underestimated the SO2column in the highly polluted region of CE China.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)278-282
Number of pages5
JournalAtmospheric Environment
Volume44
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2010

Keywords

  • Aircraft observation
  • OMI retrieval
  • PBL
  • SO 2
  • Vertical profile

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Environmental Science(all)
  • Atmospheric Science

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