Open AccessVariability of aerosol optical depth over east Asia and its possible impacts
Author(s) -
Bao Zhenhao,
Wen Zhiping,
Wu Renguang
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: atmospheres
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/2008jd010603
Subject(s) - climatology , shortwave radiation , east asia , aerosol , moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer , environmental science , shortwave , precipitation , sea surface temperature , far east , atmosphere (unit) , atmospheric sciences , china , geography , satellite , geology , meteorology , radiation , radiative transfer , archaeology , physics , engineering , quantum mechanics , aerospace engineering
On the basis of monthly aerosol optical depth (AOD) from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer data set from March 2000 to May 2006, the present study analyzes the variability of the AOD over east Asia and its plausible relationship with cloud, surface shortwave radiation, and sea surface temperature (SST) over the North Pacific. Climatologically, the AOD over east Asia peaks around April or May, before the start of rainy season. The AOD decreases seasonally during May to August, likely because of the removal of aerosol from the atmosphere by precipitation. The leading mode of interannual AOD variations has large loading from east Asia to the North Pacific north of 30°N, with largest amplitudes often in May–June. The second mode has the same sign loading over eastern China, and the corresponding time series displays an obvious linear trend during the study period. Correlation analyses show that interannual variations of the AOD over east Asia may have important impacts on cloud and shortwave radiation over the western North Pacific, which, in turn, may induce SST anomalies.