EARLINET: European aerosol research lidar network to establish an aerosol climatology

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 99.0650-1

Key words (English)

Tropospheric aerosol; PBL aerosol; lidar; climatology

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: EVR1-CT99-40003

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 1.4a.2 Global change, climate and biodiversity

Short description (English)

See abstract

Partners and International Organizations (English)

Coordinator: Max-Planck-Institut für Meteorologie, Hamburg (D)

Abstract (English)

EARLINET is a network of 19 partners with 21 lidar stations trough Europe. The research objective is to establish a statistical data base for the horizontal and vertical distribution of tropospheric aerosol over Europe, as well as for its transport routes.
During the reported period the Observatory of Neuchâtel contributed to the following major EARLINET objectives: (i) Regular measurements in a common schedule. The aim of this activity is to establish aerosol climatology data base over the measurement site. This schedule includes total of three measurements with a duration of about 60 minutes in two days per week. (ii) Co-ordinated measurements of special events of European scale tropospheric aerosol transport with major aerosol sources like Sahara dust, forest fire, industrial sources, trans-Atlantic transport events. The aim of this activity is to establish the main routs for aerosol inter-regional transport, as well as to assess the possible changes of the aerosol scattering properties during this transport. The measurements are at random with a not defined duration, depending on the appearance and the development of the specific event. (iii) Co-ordinated observation of the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) daily development cycle during large scale weather systems favouring convective development. These measurements are done typically in stable anti-cyclonic weather system with a duration necessary to cover the development of the PBL. In Neuchâtel these observations are carried during a complete daily cycle of PBL development. (iv) Individually planned observation of PBL daily cycle in weather situations of regional interest for Neuchâtel and surroundings. These measurements target PBL development that are typical for some of the measurement sites. Such weather situations in Neuchâtel are the convective situations with a potential for a strong vertical transport and the 'Bise wind episodes' believed to be with a potential for advection of aerosol rich air masses at PBL altitudes. Such data base is necessary in establishing the aerosol climatology since it helps to distinguish the regional from inter-regional contribution in the tropospheric and PBL aerosol load. (v) Continuation from the previous year of the quality assurance exercises for elastic and Raman lidar extinction determination. The data and algorithm quality assurance is one of the strongest points in the EARLINET co-operation. A contribution to this activity in the reported period was the participation in the intercomparison lidar campaign together with DGR-LPAS/EPFL at Junfraujoch with the ON transportable lidar. This activity included also participation in the all-partners exercises in the common algorithm testing.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 99.0650-1