Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

Effect of Urban Growth on Aerosol Optical Depth—Tucson, Arizona, 35 Years Later

Gouri Prabhakar Department of Atmospheric Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona

Search for other papers by Gouri Prabhakar in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
Eric A. Betterton Department of Atmospheric Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona

Search for other papers by Eric A. Betterton in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
W. Conant Department of Atmospheric Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona

Search for other papers by W. Conant in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
, and
Benjamin M. Herman Department of Atmospheric Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona

Search for other papers by Benjamin M. Herman in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
Print Publication:
01 Aug 2014
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/JAMC-D-14-0001.1
Page(s):
1876–1885
Restricted access

Abstract

Multiwavelength solar irradiance measurements between 400 and 900 nm were made on cloudless days in Tucson, Arizona, over a 30-month period between March 2010 and August 2012. They were analyzed to simultaneously retrieve aerosol optical depth (AOD) and ozone column abundance and to examine their monthly variation. These retrievals were compared with results from a similar study done at the same location between 1975 and 1977. The near tripling of population in Tucson over the past 35 years may have contributed to a 19% increase in the AOD, and the annual-mean ozone column abundance was found to be 11% lower than that inferred during the mid-1970s.

Corresponding author address: Eric A. Betterton, Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences, The University of Arizona, Physics–Atmospheric Sciences Bldg., Rm. 542, 1118 E 4th St., P.O. Box 210081, Tucson, AZ 85721-0081. E-mail: betterton@atmo.arizona.edu

Abstract

Multiwavelength solar irradiance measurements between 400 and 900 nm were made on cloudless days in Tucson, Arizona, over a 30-month period between March 2010 and August 2012. They were analyzed to simultaneously retrieve aerosol optical depth (AOD) and ozone column abundance and to examine their monthly variation. These retrievals were compared with results from a similar study done at the same location between 1975 and 1977. The near tripling of population in Tucson over the past 35 years may have contributed to a 19% increase in the AOD, and the annual-mean ozone column abundance was found to be 11% lower than that inferred during the mid-1970s.

Corresponding author address: Eric A. Betterton, Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences, The University of Arizona, Physics–Atmospheric Sciences Bldg., Rm. 542, 1118 E 4th St., P.O. Box 210081, Tucson, AZ 85721-0081. E-mail: betterton@atmo.arizona.edu
Save
Cover Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology
Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology

  • Alexandrov, M. D., A. A. Lacis, B. E. Carlson, and B. Cairns, 2008: Characterization of atmospheric aerosols using MFRSR measurements. J. Geophys. Res., 113, D08204, doi:10.1029/2007JD009388.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Bascom, R., and Coauthors, 1996: Health effects of outdoor air pollution. Committee of the Environmental and Occupational Health Assembly of the American Thoracic Society. Amer. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., 153, 3–50, doi:10.1164/ajrccm.153.1.8542133.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Bucholtz, A., 1995: Rayleigh-scattering calculations for the terrestrial atmosphere. Appl. Opt., 34, 2765–2773, doi:10.1364/AO.34.002765.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Cachorro V. E., A. M. Defrutos, and J. L. Casanova, 1987: Determination of the Angstrom turbidity parameters. Appl. Opt., 26, 3069–3076, doi:10.1364/AO.26.003069.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Dockery, D. W., and C. A. Pope, 1994: Acute respiratory effects of particulate air pollution. Annu. Rev. Public Health, 15, 107–132, doi:10.1146/annurev.pu.15.050194.000543.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Flittner, D. E., B. M. Herman, K. J. Thome, J. M. Simpson, and J. A. Reagan, 1993: Total ozone and aerosol optical depths inferred from radiometric measurements in the Chappuis absorption band. J. Atmos. Sci., 50, 1113–1121, doi:10.1175/1520-0469(1993)050<1113:TOAAOD>2.0.CO;2.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Forster, P., and Coauthors, 2007: Changes in atmospheric constituents and in radiative forcing. Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis, S. Solomon et al., Eds., Cambridge University Press, 129–234. [Available online at http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/wg1/ar4-wg1-chapter2.pdf.]

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Goering, C. D., T. S. L’Ecuyer, G. L. Stephens, J. R. Slusser, G. Scott, J. Davis, J. C. Barnard, and S. Madronich, 2005: Simultaneous retrievals of column ozone and aerosol optical properties from direct and diffuse solar irradiance. J. Geophys. Res., 110, D05204, doi:10.1029/2004JD005330.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Harrison, L., and J. Michalsky, 1994: Objective algorithms for the retrieval of optical depths from ground-based measurements. Appl. Opt., 33, 5126–5132, doi:10.1364/AO.33.005126.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Holben, B. N., and Coauthors, 1998: AERONET—A federated instrument network and data archive for aerosol characterization. Remote Sens. Environ., 66, 1–16, doi:10.1016/S0034-4257(98)00031-5.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Hudson, R. D., M. F. Andrade, M. B. Follette, and A. D. Frolov, 2006: The total ozone field separated into meteorological regimes—Part II: Northern Hemisphere mid-latitude total ozone trends. Atmos. Chem. Phys., 6, 5183–5191, doi:10.5194/acp-6-5183-2006.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Keller-Rudek, H., G. K. Moortgat, R. Sander, and R. Sörensen, 2013: The MPI-Mainz UV/VIS spectral atlas of gaseous molecules of atmospheric interest. Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 5, 365–373, doi:10.5194/essd-5-365-2013.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • King, M. D., and D. M. Byrne, 1976: A method for inferring total ozone content from the spectral variation of total optical depth obtained with a solar radiometer. J. Atmos. Sci., 33, 2242–2251, doi:10.1175/1520-0469(1976)033<2242:AMFITO>2.0.CO;2.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • King, M. D., D. M. Byrne, J. A. Reagan, and B. M. Herman, 1980: Spectral variation of optical depth at Tucson, Arizona between August 1975 and December 1977. J. Appl. Meteor., 19, 723–732, doi:10.1175/1520-0450(1980)019<0723:SVOODA>2.0.CO;2.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Marenco, F., 2007: On Langley plots in the presence of a systematic diurnal aerosol cycle centered at noon: A comment on recently proposed methodologies. J. Geophys. Res., 112, D06205, doi:10.1029/2006JD007248.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Matichuk, R., B. Barbaris, E. A. Betterton, M. Hori, N. Murao, S. Ohta, and D. Ward, 2006: A decade of aerosol and gas precursor chemical characterization at Mt. Lemmon, Arizona (1992 to 2002). J. Meteor. Soc. Japan, 84, 653–670, doi:10.2151/jmsj.84.653.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • McArthur, L. J. B., 2005: Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) operations manual, version 2.1. World Climate Research Programme Rep. WCRP-121/WMO Tech. Doc. WMO/TD-1274, 176 pp. [Available online at http://epic.awi.de/30644/1/McArthur_2005.pdf.]

  • Pima County Department of Environmental Quality, 2011: 2010 Air quality summary report for Pima County, Arizona, Pima County Dept. of Environmental Quality Rep. AQ-376, 29 pp. [Available online at http://www.rosemonteis.us/files/references/pcdeq_2011.pdf.]

  • Rozenburg, G. V., 1966: Twilight: A Study in Atmospheric Optics. Plenum, 358 pp.

  • Russell, P. B., S. A. Kinne, and R. W. Bergstrom, 1997: Aerosol climate effects: Local radiative forcing and column closure experiments. J. Geophys. Res., 102, 9397–9407, doi:10.1029/97JD00112.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Shaw, G. E., 1983: Sun photometry. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 64, 4–10, doi:10.1175/1520-0477(1983)064<0004:SP>2.0.CO;2.

  • Shaw, G. E., J. A. Regan, and B. M. Herman, 1973: Investigations of atmospheric extinctions using direct solar radiation measurements made with a multiple wavelength radiometer. J. Appl. Meteor., 12, 374–380, doi:10.1175/1520-0450(1973)012<0374:IOAEUD>2.0.CO;2.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Sorooshian, A., A. Wonaschütz, E. G. Jarjour, B. I. Hashimoto, B. A. Schichtel, and E. A. Betterton, 2011: An aerosol climatology for a rapidly growing arid region (southern Arizona): Major aerosol species and remotely sensed aerosol properties. J. Geophys. Res., 116, D19205, doi:10.1029/2011JD016197.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Twomey, S., 1974: Pollution and the planetary albedo. Atmos. Environ., 8, 1251–1256, doi:10.1016/0004-6981(74)90004-3.

All Time Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 0 0 0
Full Text Views 185 88 9
PDF Downloads 109 34 7