Journal Article

CAECENET: An automatic system processing photometer and ceilometer data from different networks to provide columnar and vertically-resolved aerosol properties

Molero, Francisco, Serrano, Antonio, Pandolfi, Marco, Toledano, Carlos, Herrero-Anta, Sara, Mateos, David, Cachorro, Victoria E., González-Fernández, Daniel, Herrero del Barrio, Celia, González, Ramiro, Cazorla, Alberto, Antuña-Sánchez, Juan Carlos, Román, Roberto, de Frutos, Ángel M., Sola, Yolanda, Muñiz-Rosado, Jorge, Herreras-Giralda, Marcos, Navas-Guzmán, Francisco, Calle, Abel, Obregón, María Ángeles

2024

Overview

This work introduces CAECENET, a new system capable of automatically retrieving columnar and vertically-resolved aerosol properties running the GRASP (Generalized Retrieval of Atmosphere and Surface Properties) algorithm using sun-sky photometer (aerosol optical depth, AOD; and sky radiance measurements) and ceilometer (range corrected signal; RCS) data as input. This method, so called GRASP pac , is implemented in CAECENET, which assimilates sun-sky photometers data from CÆLIS database and ceilometer data from ICENET database (Iberian Ceilometer Network). CAECENET allows for continuous and near-real-time monitoring of both vertical and columnar aerosol properties. The main characteristics and workflow of CAECENET are explained in detail. This work also explores the potential of CAECENET to monitor and analyze the evolution of transported aerosol events on a regional scale by means of the distribution of CAECENET stations across the Iberian Peninsula. As an example, this paper analyzes, using the CAECENET products, the case of a Saharan dust outbreak that occurred between the 3rd and 5th of October 2022. This was an intense event, with AOD at 440 nm values around 0.5 in Madrid and Valladolid, and reaching 1.55 in Granada. Transport from the Canadian wildfires at the end of June 2023 is also studied. Despite the long-range transport of the smoke particles in this event, measured volume concentrations reached and surpassed 80 μm 3 /cm 3 in some stations. The results obtained point to the utility of this CAECENET tool for analyzing changes in the height and speed of the event propagation, in the aerosol concentration, and how this affects the optical properties.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Aerosol concentrations / Aerosol optical depth / Aerosol properties / Aerosols / Aerosols - analysis / Algorithms / Analysis / Atmosphere / Atmospheric aerosols / Calibration / Case studies / Data visualization / Environmental aspects / Environmental Monitoring - instrumentation / Environmental Monitoring - methods / Long-range transport / Optical analysis / Optical properties / Optical thickness / Photometers / Photometry - instrumentation / Photometry - methods / Real time / Saharan dust / Sky radiance / Smoke particles / Surface properties / Vertical distribution / Wildfires / Workflow