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Optical Characterization of Mineral Dust and Soot Particles in the El Paso-Juarez Airshed

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Abstract

The light-scattering properties of mineral dust and soot particles in the El Paso-Juarez Airshed were analyzed using data from an acoustic extinctiometer and a laser particle counter in conjunction with a non-spherical scattering model for polydisperse and randomly oriented particles, the T-matrix model. The data selected correspond to days exhibiting a mean relative humidity (RH) less than 20% to avoid effects of possible aerosol hygroscopic growth. The inter-comparison for the selected days of the extinction and scattering coefficients results obtained using the T-matrix and the laser particle counter, with those obtained from an acoustic extinctiometer at a wavelength of 0.87 μm shows good agreement. In addition, the single-scattering albedo for this region is analyzed for the selected days. The methodology developed in this work can be used as a diagnostic tool to characterize mineral dust and soot particles, and the results of this study will provide a better understanding of the aerosol optical properties for the El Paso-Juarez Airshed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. NOAA Center for Atmospheric Sciences (NCAS-M), Howard University, Washington, DC, USA

    Richard Medina

  2. Physics Department, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA

    William Stockwell & Rosa M. Fitzgerald

  3. Desert Research Institute, Reno, NV, USA

    William Stockwell

Authors
  1. Richard Medina
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  2. William Stockwell
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  3. Rosa M. Fitzgerald
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Correspondence to Rosa M. Fitzgerald.

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Medina, R., Stockwell, W. & Fitzgerald, R.M. Optical Characterization of Mineral Dust and Soot Particles in the El Paso-Juarez Airshed. Aerosol Sci Eng 2, 11–19 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41810-017-0019-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41810-017-0019-8

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