Article

Aerosol Properties Over Tibetan Plateau From a Decade of AERONET Measurements: Baseline, Types, and Influencing Factors

Manisha PokharelKey Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing ChinaJie GuangState Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Satellite Remote Sensing, Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing ChinaBin LiuChongqing Jinfo Mountain Field Scientific Observation and Research Station for Kaster Ecosystem, School of Geographical Sciences Southwest University Chongqing ChinaShichang KangCAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Science Beijing ChinaYaoming MaCAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Science Beijing ChinaB. N. HolbenNASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt MD USAXiangao XiaKey Laboratory of Middle Atmosphere and Global Environment Observation (LAGEO), Institute of Atmospheric Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing ChinaJinyuan XinState Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Boundary Layer Physics and Atmospheric Chemistry (LAPC), Institute of Atmospheric Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing ChinaKirpa RamInstitute of Environment and Sustainable Development Banaras Hindu University Varanasi IndiaDipesh RupakhetiState Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco‐Environment and Resources Chinese Academy of Sciences Lanzhou ChinaXin WanKey Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing ChinaGuangming WuKey Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing ChinaHemraj BhattaraiKey Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing ChinaChuanfeng ZhaoCollege of Global Change and Earth System Science Beijing Normal University Beijing ChinaZhiyuan CongCAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Science Beijing China

2019en

ABI

Abstract

Abstract In this study, a decade long measurement of aerosol optical properties at two AERONET stations (Nam Co during 2006–2016 and QOMS during 2009–2017) in the Tibetan Plateau (TP), a region sensitive to climate change and human perturbation, is presented. The baseline value of aerosol optical depth (AOD) was 0.029 and 0.027 at Nam Co and QOMS, respectively, which are comparable to or even lower than those at some Arctic and remote ocean locations. The seasonality of AOD values were the order of spring > summer > winter > autumn. Based on AOD and Ångström exponent ( α ), major aerosol types over the TP were further identified as continental background, biomass burning, and dust. Although continental background aerosol was the main feature in remote areas of TP, biomass burning plumes frequently occurred, especially during spring (March–April). In one of such biomass burning event in April 2014, MODIS observations demonstrated that intensive open fires occurred in South Asia, covering the foothills of Himalayas and Indo‐Gangetic Plain. The air mass back trajectories and CALIOP observations further revealed that biomass burning plume could be uplifted to higher altitudes and reach the Himalayas. Moreover, an occasional dust event detected in April 2008 over the TP demonstrated that the dust from Taklamakan Desert may impact the main body of TP episodically, although the local dust from the inside of TP cannot be excluded and warrants further study.

Identifiers

DOI: 10.1029/2019jd031293

Citations and references

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