China's overall aerosol aerosol climatology study has made progress

China Instrument Network Instrument R&D On May 10th, the Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Chinese Academy of Sciences, as the first communication unit, published a research paper “China's Atmospheric Aerosols” in the international journal “America Meteorological Society Bulletin” (BAMS). Comprehensive study of optical, physical, chemical, and Radiative Properties of Total Columnar Atmospheric Aerosols over China: An Overview of Sun –Sky Radiometer Observation Network Measurements). This is the first research paper that systematically introduces the long-term observation data of atmospheric aerosol optical, physics, chemistry, and radiation as well as the statistical analysis results of climatology in China.

Solar-sky radiometer observation network SONET long-term site distribution map

The related work is based on the important basic research results obtained by the long-term observation of the Sun-sky radiometer observation network of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Cooperative researchers came from the National Satellite Marine Application Center, Nanjing University, Sun Yat-sen University, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Marine Environmental Monitoring Station of Zhoushan City, Zhejiang Province, Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institute of Material Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Chengdu University of Information Technology, Heilongjiang University, Chinese Academy of Sciences Remote Sensing Earth Institute Kashgar satellite receiving station, China Resources Satellite Application Center and Tibet University, more than 10 units.

Aerosols play a key role in the radiative energy balance of the Earth and in global climate change and are considered to be the largest uncertainties in global climate change assessment (IPCC). Due to the complex composition of aerosols and the large differences in space-time, it is urgent to increase their observation and understanding. At present, long-term observations in China are still very scarce, especially the lack of comprehensive analysis of the "optical-physical-chemical-radiation" parameters of climatological analysis. In response to this basic challenge, the Institute of Remote Sensing Earth’s research team, both internal and external agencies at the United Nations, have established a Chinese Academy of Sciences aerosol remote sensing ground observation based on breakthroughs in measurement, calibration, inversion, and quality control technologies. The network and data processing system and publishing platform carry out long-term observation of the integrated characteristics of atmospheric aerosols in China, serving the scientific research on climate change assessment, satellite product verification, and atmospheric environmental pollution.

This research work is based on SONET's 16 observation sites in China from 2010 to 2016 (Beijing, Harbin, Minqin, Zhangye, Kashgar, Lhasa, Sanya, Haikou, Guangzhou, Zhoushan, Shanghai, Hefei, Nanjing, Chengdu, Laoshan, Xi’an) The continuous data, systematically analyzed the aerosol (the aerosol optical thickness, the AE index, the fine mode ratio, the single scattering albedo), the spatio-temporal distribution of the physical (particle spectrum distribution) and the climatological characteristics of the atmospheric aerosol. Paper review experts believe that this is a milestone and important progress in the observational research of the integrated climatological characteristics of China's entire aerosol.

This is the first time that a remote sensing method has been used to provide experimental products for aerosol compositions in China (black carbon BC, brown carbon BrC, coarse particles CM, fine scattering particles FS, and particulate water containing AW). Compared with the traditional off-line sampling or on-line analytical techniques for aerosol chemical composition, the remote sensing method has for the first time obtained the aerosol composition of the entire atmospheric layer in key areas of China. This is a key issue for global change research.

Based on the parameters of self-consistent physical and chemical composition, the study was able to accurately assess the effects of aerosol radiation (direct radiative forcing and radiative forcing) in key areas of China and their impact on climate change. The research results have deepened the understanding and understanding of the characteristics of aerosols in China, and provided important scientific support for the modeling of aerosol characteristics in China, the verification of the authenticity of satellite remote sensing products, the improvement of the aerosol environment, and the evaluation of climate effects.

The first author of the paper is Li Zhengqiang, a researcher at the Institute of Remote Sensing Earth, and Xu Hua, a research associate of the joint newsletter. This work was supported by projects such as the National Key R&D Program (2016YFE0201400) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41671367 and 41671364).

(Original Title: Progress in the Study of Integrated Characteristics of China's Whole Aerosol Climatology)