Gold Open Access
Green Open AccessSaharan and Arabian dust optical properties registered by sun photometry during A-LIFE field experiment in Cyprus
Journal
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
ISSN
1680-7324
Date Issued
February 9, 2026
Author(s)
Mateos, David
ICREA, University of Barcelona
Calle, Abel
University of Valladolid
Román, Roberto
Herreras-Giralda, Marcos
Herrero-anta Sara
University of Valladolid
González-fernández Daniel
Universidade de Santiago de Compostela
Herrero Del Barrio Celia
Universidad de Valladolid, University of Valladolid
Cachorro, Victoria E.
De Frutos Ángel M
Weinzierl, Bernadett
University of Vienna
Abstract
The A-LIFE (Absorbing aerosol layers in a changing climate: aging, lifetime, and dynamics) field experiment, conducted in Cyprus in April 2017, employed a wide range of ground-based and airborne instruments, including passive/active remote sensing and in-situ techniques. This study presents the columnar records obtained by sun photometry. Two sun/sky/lunar photometers, belonging to AERONET network, were strategically placed at two sites: Pafos and Limassol, 40 km apart. Aerosol optical and microphysical properties derived from direct sun and sky radiance measurements are analysed to determine an inventory of aerosol event days during the experiment, with mineral dust being present in nearly 75 % of days. Ångström exponent values obtained from 1020 and 1640 nm channels (0.5 for Saharan dust and 0.34 for Arabian dust) can be served as a classification criterion. Dust sources are key point for a well understanding of the size distribution and absorption power. According to columnar records, Saharan dust exhibited less absorbing particles. The columnar volume efficiency factor (linear fit between aerosol optical depth and total volume concentration) was proved as a reliable proxy for the identification of dust origin since Arabian and Saharan dusts exhibit different slopes: 1.28 and 1.68 µm2 µm−3, respectively. Analysing all the inversion products mixtures of mineral dust were mainly dominated by Arabian dust, while mixtures of fine and coarse aerosols showed no clear prevalence of dust origin. No significant presence of black carbon-rich aerosols was detected in the atmospheric column, as absorption Ångström exponent values ranged from 1.6 to 3 across aerosol types identified.
Funding
This research has been supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (grant nos. PID2021-127588OB-I00 and PID2024-157697OB-I00).
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acp-26-1993-2026.pdf
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Scopus Subject Areas
Atmospheric Science