Large-Scale Network-Based Observations of a Saharan Dust Event across the European Continent in Spring 2022

Between 14 March and 21 April 2022, an extensive investigation of an extraordinary Saharan dust intrusion over Europe was performed based on lidar measurements obtained by the European Aerosol Research Lidar Network (EARLINET). The dust episode was divided into two distinct periods, one in March and one in April, characterized by different dust transport paths. The dust aerosol layers were studied over 18 EARLINET stations, examining aerosol characteristics during March and April in four different regions (M-I, M-II, M-III, and M-IV and A-I, A-II, A-III, and A-IV, respectively), focusing on parameters such as aerosol layer thickness, center of mass (CoM), lidar ratio (LR), particle linear depolarization ratio (PLDR), and Ångström exponents (ÅE). In March, regions exhibited varying dust geometrical and optical properties, with mean CoM values ranging from approximately 3.5 to 4.8 km, and mean LR values typically between 36 and 54 sr. PLDR values indicated the presence of both pure and mixed dust aerosols, with values ranging from 0.20 to 0.32 at 355 nm and 0.24 to 0.31 at 532 nm. ÅE values suggested a range of particle sizes, with some regions showing a predominance of coarse particles. Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) simulations from the NAAPS model indicated significant dust activity across Europe, with AOD values reaching up to 1.60. In April, dust aerosol layers were observed between 3.2 to 5.2 km. Mean LR values typically ranged from 35 to 51 sr at both 355 nm and 532 nm, while PLDR values confirmed the presence of dust aerosols, with mean values between 0.22 and 0.31 at 355 nm and 0.25 to 0.31 at 532 nm. The ÅE values suggested a mixture of particle sizes. The AOD values in April were generally lower, not exceeding 0.8, indicating a less intense dust presence compared to March. The findings highlight spatial and temporal variations in aerosol characteristics across the regions, during the distinctive periods. From 15 to 16 March 2022, Saharan dust significantly reduced UV-B radiation by approximately 14% over the ATZ station (Athens, GR). Backward air mass trajectories showed that the dust originated from the Western and Central Sahara when, during this specific case, the air mass trajectories passed over GRA (Granada, ES) and PAY (Payerne, CH) before reaching ATZ, maintaining high relative humidity and almost stable aerosol properties throughout its transport. Lidar data revealed elevated aerosol backscatter (baer) and PLDR values, combined with low LR and ÅE values, indicative of pure dust aerosols.

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Journal
Remote Sensing
Published
2024-09-09
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16173350
Citations
5
Primary Topic
Atmospheric aerosols and clouds
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
1.41
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article

Large-Scale Network-Based Observations of a Saharan Dust Event across the European Continent in Spring 2022

Athena Augusta Floutsi, Michail Mytilinaios, Davide Dionisi, Ronny Engelmann et al.
5 citations
Remote Sensing
Atmospheric aerosols and clouds
1.41
article

Large-Scale Network-Based Observations of a Saharan Dust Event across the European Continent in Spring 2022

Athena Augusta Floutsi, Michail Mytilinaios, Davide Dionisi, Ronny Engelmann, Ina Mattis, Alexandros Papayannis, Julian Hofer, Marilena Gidarakou, Martine Collaud Coen, Holger Baars, Kostas Eleftheratos, Thomas Trickl, Giovanni Giuliano, Jesús Abril-Gago, Constantino Muñoz-Porcar, Horaţiu Ștefӑnie, Nicolae Ajtai, Dimitris Balis, Pilar Gumà-Claramunt, Daniele Bortoli, Mika Komppula, Konstantinos Michailidis, Alejandro Rodríguez-Gómez, Sabur F. Abdullaev, Hannes Vogelmann, Doina Nicoleta Nicolae, Christina–Anna Papanikolaou, Kalliopi Artemis Voudouri, Vanda Salgueiro, Xiaoxia Shang, Dominika Szczepanik, Qiaoyun Hu, Giovanni Martucci, Juan Antonio Bravo-Aranda, Maria Mylonaki, Eleni Marinou, Iwona S. Stachlewska, Benedetto De Rosa, Philippe Goloub
article en
5 citations

Abstract

Between 14 March and 21 April 2022, an extensive investigation of an extraordinary Saharan dust intrusion over Europe was performed based on lidar measurements obtained by the European Aerosol Research Lidar Network (EARLINET). The dust episode was divided into two distinct periods, one in March and one in April, characterized by different dust transport paths. The dust aerosol layers were studied over 18 EARLINET stations, examining aerosol characteristics during March and April in four different regions (M-I, M-II, M-III, and M-IV and A-I, A-II, A-III, and A-IV, respectively), focusing on parameters such as aerosol layer thickness, center of mass (CoM), lidar ratio (LR), particle linear depolarization ratio (PLDR), and Ångström exponents (ÅE). In March, regions exhibited varying dust geometrical and optical properties, with mean CoM values ranging from approximately 3.5 to 4.8 km, and mean LR values typically between 36 and 54 sr. PLDR values indicated the presence of both pure and mixed dust aerosols, with values ranging from 0.20 to 0.32 at 355 nm and 0.24 to 0.31 at 532 nm. ÅE values suggested a range of particle sizes, with some regions showing a predominance of coarse particles. Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) simulations from the NAAPS model indicated significant dust activity across Europe, with AOD values reaching up to 1.60. In April, dust aerosol layers were observed between 3.2 to 5.2 km. Mean LR values typically ranged from 35 to 51 sr at both 355 nm and 532 nm, while PLDR values confirmed the presence of dust aerosols, with mean values between 0.22 and 0.31 at 355 nm and 0.25 to 0.31 at 532 nm. The ÅE values suggested a mixture of particle sizes. The AOD values in April were generally lower, not exceeding 0.8, indicating a less intense dust presence compared to March. The findings highlight spatial and temporal variations in aerosol characteristics across the regions, during the distinctive periods. From 15 to 16 March 2022, Saharan dust significantly reduced UV-B radiation by approximately 14% over the ATZ station (Athens, GR). Backward air mass trajectories showed that the dust originated from the Western and Central Sahara when, during this specific case, the air mass trajectories passed over GRA (Granada, ES) and PAY (Payerne, CH) before reaching ATZ, maintaining high relative humidity and almost stable aerosol properties throughout its transport. Lidar data revealed elevated aerosol backscatter (baer) and PLDR values, combined with low LR and ÅE values, indicative of pure dust aerosols.

Remote SensingVol. 16(17)
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (DE), Finnish Meteorological Institute (FI), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss (CH), Deutscher Wetterdienst (DE), Universidad de Granada (ES), National Technical University of Athens (GR), Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tajikistan (TJ), National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (GR), Academy of Athens (GR), Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (GR), Université de Lille (FR), Babeș-Bolyai University (RO), Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra (ES), Istituto di Scienze Marine del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IT), Institute of Structure of Matter (IT), CNR-IMIOT – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - Istituto di Metodologie Integrate per l’Osservazione della Terra (IT), Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (DE), National Observatory of Athens (GR), Laboratoire d'Optique Atmosphérique (FR), National Institute of Research and Development for Optoelectronics (RO), National Research Council (IT), University of Warsaw (PL), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (CH), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (DE), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (ES)
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Atmospheric aerosols and clouds
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