Aerosol properties over the western Mediterranean basin: temporal and spatial variability

• Published in: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
• Main Authors: Lyamani, H., Valenzuela, A., Pérez Ramírez, Daniel, Toledano, Carlos, Granados-Muñoz, María José, Olmo Reyes, Francisco José, Alados Arboledas, Lucas
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Copernicus Publications; European Geosciences Union (EGU) 2015
• Subjects: Aerosol; Optical properties; Western Mediterranean; Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET); Maritime Aerosol Network (MAN); Aerosol Robotic Network
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10481/35790; https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-2473-2015

This study focuses on the analysis of Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) aerosol data obtained over Alborán Island (35.90° N, 3.03° W, 15 m a.s.l.) in the western Mediterranean from July 2011 to January 2012. Additional aerosol data from the three nearest AERONET stations (Málaga, Oujda and Palma de Mallorca) and the Maritime Aerosol Network (MAN) were also analyzed in order to investigate the temporal and spatial variations of aerosol over this scarcely explored region. High aerosol loads over Alborán were mainly associated with desert dust transport from North Africa and occasional advection of anthropogenic fine particles from central European urban-industrial areas. The fine particle load observed over Alborán was surprisingly similar to that obtained over the other three nearest AERONET stations, suggesting homogeneous spatial distribution of fine particle loads over the four studied sites in spite of the large differences in local sources. The results from MAN acquired over the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and Atlantic Ocean from July to November 2011 revealed a pronounced predominance of fine particles during the cruise period. This work was supported by the Andalusia Regional Government through projects P12-RNM-2409 and P10-RNM-6299, by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology through projects CGL2010-18782, and CGL2013-45410-R; and by the EU through ACTRIS project (EU INFRA-2010-1.1.16-262254). CIMEL Calibration was performed at the AERONET-EUROPE calibration center, supported by ACTRIS (European Union Seventh Framework Program (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement no. 262254.