SAGE II aerosol data validation based on retrieved aerosol model size distribution from SAGE II aerosol measurements

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JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH, VOL. 94, NO. D6, PAGES 8381–8393, 1989 SAGE II aerosol data validation based on retrieved aerosol model size distribution from SAGE II aerosol measurements Pi-Huan Wang Science and Technology Corporation, Hampton, Virginia M. P. McCormick Atmospheric Sciences Division, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia L. R. McMaster Atmospheric Sciences Division, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia W. P. Chu Atmospheric Sciences Division, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia W. H. Fuller Atmospheric Sciences Division, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia G. K. Yue Atmospheric Sciences Division, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia T. J. Swissler ST Systems Corporation, Hampton, Virginia M. T. Osborn ST Systems Corporation, Hampton, Virginia P. B. Russell NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California V. R. Oberbeck NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California J. Livingston SRI International, Menlo Park, California J. M. Rosen Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Wyoming, Laramie D. J. Hofmann Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Wyoming, Laramie G. W. Grams School of Geophysical Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Abstract This paper describes an investigation of the comprehensive aerosol correlative measurement experiments conducted between November 1984 and July 1986 for the satellite measurement program of the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE II). The correlative sensors involved in the experiments consist of the NASA Ames Research Center impactor/laser probe, the University of Wyoming dustsonde, and the NASA Langley Research Center airborne 14-inch (36 cm) lidar system. The approach of the analysis is to compare the primary aerosol quantities measured by the ground-based instruments with the calculated ones based on the aerosol size distributions retrieved from the SAGE II aerosol extinction measurements. The analysis shows that the aerosol size distributions derived from the SAGE II observations agree qualitatively with the in situ measurements made by the impactor/laser probe. The SAGE II-derived vertical distributions of the ratio N_0.15/N_0.25 (where N_r is the cumulative aerosol concentration for particle radii greater than r, in micrometers) and the aerosol backscatter profiles at 0.532- and 0.6943-μm lidar wavelengths are shown to agree with the dustsonde and the 14-inch (36 cm) lidar observations, with the differences being within the respective uncertainties of the SAGE II and the other instruments. © American Geophysical Union 1989 Index Terms: 0305 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Aerosols and particles; 0340 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Middle atmosphere—composition and chemistry; 0394 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Instruments and techniques; 6969 Radio Science: Remote sensing. Citation: Wang, P.-H., et al. (1989), SAGE II aerosol data validation based on retrieved aerosol model size distribution from SAGE II aerosol measurements, J. Geophys. Res., 94(D6), 8381–8393. Copyright 1989 by the American Geophysical Union.

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