Maritime Aerosol Network as a component of Aerosol Robotic Network

• Published in: Journal of Geophysical Research
• Main Authors: Smirnov, A., Holben, B., Slutsker, I., Giles, D., Mcclain, C., Eck, T., Sakerin, S., Macke, A., Croot, P., Zibordi, G., Quinn, P., Sciare, J., Kinne, S., Harvey, M., Smyth, T., Piketh, S., Zielinski, T., Proshutinsky, A., Goes, J., Nelson, N., Larouche, P., Radionov, V., Goloub, P., Krishna Moorthy, K., Matarrese, R., Robertson, E., Jourdin, F.
• Other Authors: Chimie Atmosphérique Expérimentale (CAE), Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement Gif-sur-Yvette (LSCE), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ), Laboratoire d’Optique Atmosphérique - UMR 8518 (LOA), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Lille-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Service Hydrographique et Océanographique de la Marine (SHOM), Ministère de la Défense
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2009
• Subjects: [SDU.OCEAN]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Ocean; Atmosphere; Aerosol Robotic Network
• Online Access: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03199254; https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03199254/document; https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03199254/file/2008JD011257.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1029/2008JD011257

International audience The paper presents the current status of the Maritime Aerosol Network (MAN), which has been developed as a component of the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET). MAN deploys Microtops handheld Sun photometers and utilizes the calibration procedure and data processing (Version 2) traceable to AERONET. A web site dedicated to the MAN activity is described. A brief historical perspective is given to aerosol optical depth (AOD) measurements over the oceans. A short summary of the existing data, collected on board ships of opportunity during the NASA Sensor Intercomparison and Merger for Biological and Interdisciplinary Oceanic Studies (SIMBIOS) Project is presented. Globally averaged oceanic aerosol optical depth (derived from island‐based AERONET measurements) at 500 nm is ∼0.11 and Angstrom parameter (computed within spectral range 440–870 nm) is calculated to be ∼0.6. First results from the cruises contributing to the Maritime Aerosol Network are shown. MAN ship‐based aerosol optical depth compares well to simultaneous island and near‐coastal AERONET site AOD.