Atmospheric Aerosols

1. Atmospheric Aerosols • Current Weather • Aerosols • Aerosol Direct vs. Indirect Effects • AppalAIR • CAN-DOO For Next Class: Read Ch. 2 (pp. 375-376) & IPCC AR4 Ch. 2 (pp. 180-186)

2. Atmospheric Aerosols • Aerosols: solid or liquid particles suspended in the air • Naturally occurring aerosols: particles from trees, sea salt, dust, and volcanic dust • Anthropogenic aerosols: particles from the burning of fossil fuels and biomass, smoke, and agricultural dust • Aerosols can influence weather and climate by directly and indirectly affecting the amount of solar radiation reaching the earth’s surface, which can lead to warming and cooling in different regions of the world. Overall RF is negative, however. • Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD): variable used by scientists to describe the amount of solar radiation scattered or absorbed by aerosols (Instrument: sun photometer)

3. Global Aerosol Optical Depth

4. Direct and Indirect Effects of Aerosols Aerosols scatter and absorb incoming solar radiation and impact cloud microphysics

5. Direct and Indirect Effects of Aerosols ** Be very familiar with this diagram! It may appear on Exam IV ** Small black dots = aerosol particles Larger open circles = cloud droplets Straight lines = incident and reflected solar radiation Fig. 2.10 IPCC AR4

6. 5 Minute Writing Prompt • What is the difference between the aerosol direct and indirect effect?

8. The Cloud Albedo Effect results in Negative RF.

9. -1.25 w m-2

10. Reciprocal Relationship

11. AppalAIR Appalachian Atmospheric Interdisciplinary Research an air quality/climate research and public outreach facility for exploring air pollution formation and transport and the relationship of pollution to a changing climate and its effects on regional ecosystems Participants: Howie Neufeld – Biology Brett Taubman – Chemistry Barkley Sive – Chemistry RahmanTashakkori – Computer Science Baker Perry – Geography Jim Sherman – Physics Ryan Emanuel – NC State Doug Miller – UNCA Collaborating member of the NOAA-ESRL Global Aerosol Network (http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/aero/net/app/) and the NASA AErosolROboticNETwork(AERONET, http://aeronet.gsfc.nasa.gov/)

12. AppalAIR ASU Campus, Boone, NC 1076 m, lat 36.2º lon -81.7º

13. Measurement Capabilities Measurements Aerosol light scattering – TSI 3 l integrating nephelometer; Humidified Radiance Research integrating nephelometer Aerosol light absorption – Radiance Research 3 l PSAP; Magee Scientific 7 laethalometer and custom UV 6 laethalometer Aerosol Optical Depth-CIMEL 918EBN Aerosol vertical profiles – Micro-Pulse Lidar Aerosol number concentration – TSI CNC 3007 Trace gases – O3, CO2, and H2O All-Sky Imager – Yankee Scientific TSI-440 Direct and Diffuse Irradiance – Kipp&Zonen CM22 Pyranometer Present Weather Detector –Vaisala PWD12 Standard and Micrometeorology Lots more aerosol/trace gas chemistry and microphysics coming…

15. NOAA GMD Aerosol Sampling Stations

16. CAN-DOO • Climate Action Network through • Direct Observations and Outreach • Develop the infrastructure for sustaining and expanding public outreach through long‐term climate measurements capable of complementing existing NASA measurements. • Enhance public awareness of climate science and NASA’s role in advancing our understanding of the Earth System. • Introduce STEM principles to homeschooled, public school, and Appalachian State University students through applied climate science activities.

17. CAN‐DOO Partners • AppalAIR • Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation • Public education and outreach, citizen science, research-quality meteorological observations • Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) • Summer camp for homeschooled high school students • Science Clubs at Watauga County Elementary Schools • Hardin Park Elementary School • Bethel Elementary School