SAGE II aerosol validation: Selected altitude measurements, including particle micromeasurements

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JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH, VOL. 94, NO. D6, PAGES 8367–8380, 1989 SAGE II aerosol validation: Selected altitude measurements, including particle micromeasurements Verne R. Oberbeck NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California Kenneth G. Snetsinger NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California Guy V. Ferry NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California Philip B. Russell NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California Rudolf F. Pueschel NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California John M. Livingston SRI International, Menlo Park, California James N. Rosen University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming Mary T. Osborn ST Systems Corporation (STX), Hampton, Virginia Mark A. Kritz State University of NY at Albany Abstract Correlative aerosol measurements taken at a limited number of altitudes during coordinated field experiments are used to test the validity of particulate extinction coefficients derived from limb path solar radiance measurements taken by the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) II Sun photometer. In particular, results are presented from correlative measurement missions that were conducted during January 1985, August 1985, and July 1986. Correlative sensors included impactors, laser spectrometers, and filter samplers aboard an U-2 airplane, an upward pointing lidar aboard a P-3 airplane, and balloon-borne optical particle counters (dustsondes). The main body of this paper focuses on the July 29, 1986, validation experiment, which minimized the many difficulties (e.g., spatial and temporal inhomogeneities, imperfect coincidences) that can complicate the validation process. On this day, correlative aerosol measurements taken at an altitude of 20.5 km agreed with each other within their respective uncertainties, and particulate extinction values calculated at SAGE II wavelengths from these measurements validated corresponding SAGE II values. Additional validation efforts on days when measurement and logistical conditions were much less favorable for validation are discussed in an appendix. © American Geophysical Union 1989 Index Terms: 0305 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Aerosols and particles. Citation: Oberbeck, V. R., K. G. Snetsinger, G. V. Ferry, P. B. Russell, R. F. Pueschel, J. M. Livingston, J. N. Rosen, M. T. Osborn, and M. A. Kritz (1989), SAGE II aerosol validation: Selected altitude measurements, including particle micromeasurements, J. Geophys. Res., 94(D6), 8367–8380. Copyright 1989 by the American Geophysical Union.

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