The effect of atmospheric circulation on the evolution and radiative forcing of smoke aerosol over European Russia during the summer of 2010

The evolution of smoke plume over European Russia (ER) during the massive forest and peatbog fires of summer 2010 has been studied using observations of aerosol optical depth (AOD) from MODIS instruments (both Aqua and Terra platforms), objective analysis of meteorological fields performed at the Russian Hydrometeorological Research Center, NCEP/NCAR reanalysis, as well as upper air data. A relation between the structure inhomogeneities of the AOD field and regional atmospheric circulation has been found. It is shown that, on August 5–9, 2010, the maximum of smoke pollution did complete turn around Moscow, while remaining at a distance of 200 to 650 km from the megacity. Both regionally averaged shortwave aerosol radiative forcings (ARFs) at the top and the bottom of the atmosphere are estimated for the period of extreme smoke pollution over ER. The spatial distributions of ARF values over the territory of the region and the estimates of the local and spatially distributed thermal effects of smoke aerosol are given. It is shown that, on August 5–9, 2010, the spatial distribution of AOD and the calculated thermal effects of smoke aerosol were in agreement with the spatial distributions of air-temperature anomalies observed in the lower 1.5-km layer of the atmosphere. MODIS’s AOD data obtained during the wildfires were validated by AOD observations from the CIMEL sun photometer operated at the AERONET station Zvenigorod.     

A ring of traveling ionospheric disturbances around Moscow megapolis

Doklady Earth Sciences - According to interferometric data of radio waves from GPS satellites, which are received in Moscow region on the stations of the Moscow Navigation-Geodesic Support Network...     

The link between smoke blanketing of European Russia in summer 2016, Siberian wildfires and anomalies of large-scale atmospheric circulation

Analysis of smoke blanketing of European Russia (ER) in summer 2016 is presented. The results of the analysis indicate that the cause of the smoky atmosphere over ER was long-range transport of smoke from wildfires in Siberia. The aerosol optical thickness at a wavelength of 550 nm over ER in late July reached 3. The features of circulation in the troposphere over northern Eurasia in July 2016, with an anomalous east transfer of combustion products in the troposphere over thousands of kilometers, which is opposite to the westerly transfer prevailing in the mid-latitudes, are discussed. A comparison of variations in the probability distribution functions of the aerosol optical thickness is performed for ER and Siberia for the summer periods in different years with massive wildfires.     

Variations in gaseous pollutants in the air basin of Moscow

Variations in the concentrations of gaseous pollutants in the air basin of Moscow are statistically analyzed. The basic statistical characteristics of variations in the concentrations of carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, formaldehyde, and a number of aromatic compounds are calculated. The main properties of intradiurnal, synoptic, seasonal, and interannual variations in the concentrations of gaseous pollutants are described. The power spectral densities of variations in the concentrations of carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides are analyzed. The contributions made by variations in the concentration of carbon monoxide on different time scales to the total variance are calculated. The effect of the atmospheric air polluted with carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides on the ecological situation in the city is estimated. The probabilities of an excess over the single maximum allowable concentrations are determined for carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides. The absorption of shortwave solar radiation by nitrogen dioxide in the atmospheric boundary layer is estimated.     

Finely dispersed brown carbon in a smoggy atmosphere

It is shown that the absorption capacity of smoke aerosol during mass forest and forest–peat fires is determined to a considerable degree by light absorbing organic compounds or brown carbon. According to the data from the AERONET global network of stations [1], the absorption spectra of smoke aerosol vary significantly if airborne particulate matter is contained in brown carbon. It is established that in several cases, the absorption spectra of smoke aerosol are approximated with satisfactory accuracy by exponents. It is shown that the finely dispersed (submicron) fraction of the smoke aerosol makes a major contribution to its optical characteristics in the 0.44–1.02 μm spectral region. Strong variation in the single scattering albedo is discovered in the presence of brown carbon in the smoke aerosol. It is shown that the optical characteristics of coarsely dispersed and finely dispersed fractions of smoke aerosol differ considerably.     

Vertical Distribution of Aleurite and Sand Particles in Windsand Flux over a Desertified Area

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - Measurements in a desertified area in Astrakhan oblast at heights from 3 to 15 cm under almost nonintermittent saltation on August 23 and September 9,...     

Vertical Turbulent Dust-Aerosol Fluxes

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - Vertical turbulent dust-aerosol fluxes over a desertificated area in Astrakhan oblast under almost quasicontinuous saltation conditions have been...