title: Vertical distribution of aerosol optical properties based on aircraft measurements over the Loess Plateau in China.
abstract: Vertical distributions of aerosol optical properties based on aircraft measurements over the Loess Plateau were measured for the first time during a summertime aircraft campaign, 2013 in Shanxi, China. Data from four flights were analyzed. The vertical distributions of aerosol optical properties including aerosol scattering coefficients (σsc), absorption coefficients (σab), Angström exponent (α), single scattering albedo (ω), backscattering ratio (βsc), aerosol mass scattering proficiency (Qsc) and aerosol surface scattering proficiency (Qsc(')) were obtained. The mean statistical values of σsc were 77.45 Mm(-1) (at 450 nm), 50.72 Mm(-1) (at 550n m), and 32.02 Mm(-1) (at 700 nm). The mean value of σab was 7.62 Mm(-1) (at 550 nm). The mean values of α, βsc and ω were 1.93, 0.15, and 0.91, respectively. Aerosol concentration decreased with altitude. Most effective diameters (ED) of aerosols were less than 0.8 μm. The vertical profiles of σsc,, α, βsc, Qsc and Qsc(') showed that the aerosol scattering properties at lower levels contributed the most to the total aerosol radiative forcing. Both α and βsc had relatively large values, suggesting that most aerosols in the observational region were small particles. The mean values of σsc, α, βsc, Qsc, Qsc('), σab and ω at different height ranges showed that most of the parameters decreased with altitude. The forty-eight hour backward trajectories of air masses during the observation days indicated that the majority of aerosols in the lower level contributed the most to the total aerosol loading, and most of these particles originated from local or regional pollution emissions.
authors.affiliation: Weather Modification Office of Shanxi Province, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030032, China; Key Laboratory for Aerosol-Cloud-Precipitation of China Meteorological Administration, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210044, China. Electronic address: ljx22258@126.com.
authors.forename: Junxia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China. Electronic address: lxgstar@126.com.
authors.forename: Xingang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Aerosol-Cloud-Precipitation of China Meteorological Administration, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210044, China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Aerosol-Cloud-Precipitation of China Meteorological Administration, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210044, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: College of Global Change and Earth System Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
authors.forename: Zhanqing
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Weather Modification Office of Shanxi Province, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030032, China.
authors.forename: Peiren
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Weather Modification Office of Shanxi Province, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030032, China.
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Weather Modification Office of Shanxi Province, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030032, China.
authors.forename: Lijun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: College of Global Change and Earth System Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
authors.forename: Runjun
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Global Change and Earth System Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Meteorological Institute of Shaanxi Province, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710017, China.
authors.forename: Zipeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Weather Modification Office of Shanxi Province, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030032, China.
authors.forename: Yiyu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Weather Modification Office of Shanxi Province, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030032, China.
authors.forename: Junmei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols / Q000032:analysis*; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D000401:Aircraft; D000531:Altitude; D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D000393:Air Pollutants
keywords: Aircraft measurements; Optical properties; The Loess Plateau; Vertical distribution