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An emerging ground‐based aerosol climatology: Aerosol optical depth from AERONET

Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres · 2001 · Vol. 106(D11) · pp. 12067–12097

B. N. Holben✉(Goddard Space Flight Center)D. Tanré(Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)A. Smirnov(Goddard Space Flight Center)T. F. Eck(RTX (United States))I. Slutsker(Goddard Space Flight Center)Nader Abuhassan(Goddard Space Flight Center)W. W. Newcomb(Goddard Space Flight Center)J. S. Schafer(RTX (United States))B. Chatenet(Laboratoire Interuniversitaire des Systèmes Atmosphériques)F. Lavenu(Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique et Technique (CNRST))Yoram J. Kaufman(National Aeronautics and Space Administration)J. Vande CastleAlberto Setzer(National Institute for Space Research)Brian L. Markham(Goddard Space Flight Center)Dennis Clark(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)Robert Frouin(University of California, San Diego)R. N. Halthore(United States Naval Research Laboratory)A. Karneli(Ben-Gurion University of the Negev)N. T. O’Neill(Université de Sherbrooke)Christophe Pietras(Goddard Space Flight Center)R. T. Pinker(University of Maryland, College Park)Kenneth J. VossGiuseppe Zibordi(European Commission)

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Abstract

Long‐term measurements by the AERONET program of spectral aerosol optical depth, precipitable water, and derived Angstrom exponent were analyzed and compiled into an aerosol optical properties climatology. Quality assured monthly means are presented and described for 9 primary sites and 21 additional multiyear sites with distinct aerosol regimes representing tropical biomass burning, boreal forests, midlatitude humid climates, midlatitude dry climates, oceanic sites, desert sites, and background sites. Seasonal trends for each of these nine sites are discussed and climatic averages presented.

Atmospheric aerosols and clouds Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols Atmospheric Ozone and ClimateAERONETAngstrom exponentAerosolEnvironmental scienceMiddle latitudesClimatologyPrecipitable waterAtmospheric sciencesOptical depthAngstrom