Analysis of Aerosol Optical Depth Coincidences

Aerosols are small particles suspended in air which play an important role in air quality, weather, and climate change.  Identification of aerosol particles in the atmosphere with space and surface based instruments is an important problem in atmospheric science.  We use two such instruments in our analysis: CALIPSO and AERONET.  CALIPSO is a NASA satellite which uses a down looking lidar for aerosol detection.  AERONET is a ground based network of sun photometers that also detect aerosols.  Acquisition of data from both CALIPSO and AERONET for a precise longitude, latitude, date and time is not always possible but coincidences can be found.  AERONET and CALIPSO aerosol data at the same place and time are expected to agree.  

The materials used in my research include data from the CALIPSO satellite and the AERONET network of sun photometers.  Tables which I have created present aerosol and cloud optical depth information as a function of date, time, and location at particular wavelengths (440nm, 500nm, 532nm).  Additionally, I produced plots that present altitude vs. extinction (scattering and absorption of solar radiation) of the aerosols in the atmosphere.  I found several coincidences in the CALIPSO and AERONET data sets and compared the optical depths at those locations  dates and times.  I will present results showing agreement or discrepancy in the measurements made by the two instruments.