Aerosol optical properties over China Sea based on measurements by handheld sun photometer

Atmospheric aerosol has aroused increasing interests because of its mounting evidence of the importance of aerosol radiative forcing of climate, and its effect on cloud microphysics and albedo. Correct estimation of aerosol information is also essential to satellite remote sensing interpretation, especially to atmospheric correction of ocean color remote sensing. It is now being realized that aerosols are very variable in time and space. Therefore, more measurements of the prime aerosol quantities are needed. In this paper, aerosol data derived from handheld MICROTOPS II sun photometer, observed in March, April and September, 2003, September and October, 2006, were used to study the spatio-temporal variations of aerosol optical thickness (AOT) tau_a and Angstrom exponent alpha over China Sea. The measured data showed a high spatial and temporal variability of the aerosol optical thickness and Angstrom exponent in the study period. Some results were given as follows: The averaged AOT tau_a was highest in the South China Sea and lowest in the East China Sea. The highest spatio-temporal variation was in the East China Sea.