A methodology for investigating dust model performance using synergistic EARLINET/AERONET dust concentration retrievals

Abstract

Published by Copernicus Publications on behalf of the European Geosciences Union. I. Binietoglou et al.: Dust model comparison methodologyAbstract. Systematic measurements of dust concentration profiles at a continental scale were recently made possible by the development of synergistic retrieval algorithms using combined lidar and sun photometer data and the establishment of robust remote-sensing networks in the framework of Aerosols, Clouds, and Trace gases Research InfraStructure Network (ACTRIS)/European Aerosol Research Lidar Network (EARLINET). We present a methodology for using these capabilities as a tool for examining the performance of dust transport models. The methodology includes considerations for the selection of a suitable data set and appropriate metrics for the exploration of the results. The approach is demonstrated for four regional dust transport models (BSC-DREAM8b v2, NMMB/BSC-DUST, DREAM-ABOL, DREAM8-NMME-MACC) using dust observations performed at 10 ACTRIS/EARLINET stations. The observations, which include coincident multi-wavelength lidar and sun photometer measurements, were processed with the Lidar-Radiometer Inversion Code (LIRIC) to retrieve aerosol concentration profiles. The methodology proposed here shows advantages when compared to traditional evaluation techniques that utilize separately the available measurements such as separating the contribution of dust from other aerosol types on the lidar profiles and avoiding model assumptions related to the conversion of concentration fields to aerosol extinction values. When compared to LIRIC retrievals, the simulated dust vertical structures were found to be in good agreement for all models with correlation values between 0.5 and 0.7 in the 1-6 km range, where most dust is typically observed. The absolute dust concentration was typically underestimated with mean bias values of −40 to −20 µg m −3 at 2 km, the altitude of maximum mean concentration. The reported differences among the models found in this comparison indicate the benefit of the systematic use of the proposed approach in future dust model evaluation studies.

GARRLiC and LIRIC: strengths and limitations for the characterization of dust and marine particles along with their mixtures

“…Furthermore, we multiply them with the dust density of 2.6 g cm −3 (Reid et al, 2003) the BSC-DREAM8b model values are lower than GARRLiC and LIRIC by a factor of 2. The BSC-DREAM8b underestimation when comparing to LIRIC is consistent with the findings of Binietoglou et al (2015) for relatively low dust concentrations (as is the case here). The underestimation is shown in the BSC-DREAM8b dust AOD at 550 nm as well, with a value of ∼ 0.2, which is half of the sun-photometermeasured AOD at 500 nm, of 0.4.…”

“…For example, LIRIC has been tested for dust and volcanic aerosols (Wagner et al, 2013), dust-pollution mixture (Tsekeri et al, 2013), dust, pollution and a mixture of dust, smoke and pollution (Granados-Muñoz et al, 2014, 2016aPapayannis et al, 2014) and smoke-pollution mixture (Kokkalis et al, 2017). LIRIC has also been used to study dust transport events and dust modelling performance over Europe (Binietoglou et al, 2015;Granados-Muñoz et al, 2016b), as well as to evaluate air quality models (Siomos et al, 2017). GARRLiC has been tested for dust and smoke (Lopatin et al, 2013) and dust aerosols Benavent-Oltra et al, 2017).…”

Direct radiative effects during intense Mediterranean desert dust outbreaks

“…The ability of the NMMB-MONARCH model to accurately reproduce the dust aerosol fields has been confirmed through evaluation studies, which relied on global and regional annual simulations , as well as through utilizing measurements from experimental campaigns as reference data (Haustein et al, 2012). Moreover, the reliability of the model in terms of reproducing the Saharan dust patterns over Cape Verde as well as to simulate dust vertical profiles has been confirmed through the analyses made by Gama et al (2015) and Binietoglou et al (2015), respectively. In addition, the predictive skills of the NMMB-MONARCH model, in comparison with other regional models, have been assessed for a specific dust outbreak that affected the western parts of the Mediterranean and Europe.…”

An overview of the first decade of Polly<sup>NET</sup>: an emerging network of automated Raman-polarization lidars for continuous aerosol profiling

“…This database might be a valuable tool for space-borne lidar missions like CALIPSO or the upcoming ADM-Aeolus (Atmospheric Dynamics Mission, Stoffelen et al, 2005) and EarthCARE (Earth Clouds, Aerosols and Radiation Explorer, Illingworth et al, 2015) missions. The findings may also serve for the verification of aerosol transport models (e.g., Binietoglou et al, 2015;Haustein et al, 2009) or support studies on the radiative impact of aerosol layers on the Earth's energy budget (e.g., Kanitz et al, 2013b). Thus, Polly NET can give a valuable contribution to the understanding of the complex nature of atmospheric particles which is a prerequisite to understand their complex interactions with clouds.…”