Study on Long-term Aerosol Distribution over the Land of East China Using MODIS Data

Qianshan He; Chengcai Li; Fuhai Geng; Yong Lei; Yuhong Li

doi:10.4209/aaqr.2011.11.0200

Study on Long-term Aerosol Distribution over the Land of East China Using MODIS Data

Qianshan He¹, Chengcai Li ², Fuhai Geng¹, Yong Lei³, Yuhong Li⁴

¹Shanghai Meteorological Bureau, 166 Puxi Road, PO Box 200030, Shanghai, China
²Laboratory for Climate and Ocean-Atmosphere Studies, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, School of Physics, Peking University, PO Box 100871, Beijing, China
³Meteorological Observation Centre, China Meteorological Administration, 46 South Zhongguancun Avenue, PO Box 100089, Beijing, China
⁴Shanxi Meteorological Bureau, 45 Xinjian Road, PO Box 030002, Taiyuan, China

Received: November 14, 2011
Revised: February 22, 2012
Accepted: February 22, 2012
Download Citation: ||https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2011.11.0200

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Cite this article:
He, Q., Li, C., Geng, F., Lei, Y. and Li, Y. (2012). Study on Long-term Aerosol Distribution over the Land of East China Using MODIS Data. Aerosol Air Qual. Res. 12: 304-319. https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2011.11.0200

ABSTRACT

East China is among the fastest developing area in Asia, where atmospheric aerosol loading is high due to heavy urban and industrial emission. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) level 2 aerosol products (2000–2007) were used to study aerosol spatial and temporal distributions, as well as their variations with local meteorological conditions over East China. By combining Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) and aerosol Fine Mode Fraction (FMF), we found that the urban/industrial aerosol and soil dust are possibly two dominant species over northern part, whereas continental and marine aerosols possibly dominate the southern part of East China. Both annual mean AOD and area with high AOD increased from 2000 to 2007, with the largest increase seen in Yangtze River Delta region (YRD). In summer, AOD in East China reached the maximum of about 0.8 in YRD, dominated by fine mode particles. The minimum AOD occurred in winter with mostly coarse mode particles. Local aerosol properties were analyzed in three typical zones: the northern dry zone (I), the central urban/industrial zone (II) and the southern natural background zone (III). Monthly mean AODs in zone I and II were above 0.5 throughout the entire year, with the maximum AOD in June. High FMFs in this period indicated heavy urban and industrial pollution. Monthly mean AODs and FMFs in zone III reached maximum of 0.51 in April and September (up to 90.7%) respectively. High AOD in spring in zone III appears mostly due to the long-range dust transport from the North.

Keywords: Aerosol; MODIS; Remote sensing; Optical properties; East China