Novel aerosol extinction coefficients and lidar ratios over the ocean from CALIPSO-CloudSat: Evaluation and global statistics

Abstract

Abstract. Aerosol extinction coefficients (σa) and lidar ratios (LR) are retrieved over the ocean from CALIOP attenuated backscatter profiles by solving the lidar equation constrained with aerosol optical depths (AOD) derived by applying the Synergized Optical Depth of Aerosols (SODA) algorithm to ocean surface returns measured by CALIOP and CloudSat’s Cloud Profiling Radar. σa and LR are retrieved for two independent scenarios that require somewhat different assumptions: a) a single homogeneous atmospheric layer (1L) for which the LR is constant with height, and b) a vertically homogeneous layer with a constant LR overlying a marine boundary layer with a homogenous LR fixed at 25 sr (2-layer method, 2L). These new retrievals differ from the standard CALIPSO version 4.1 (V4) product, as the CALIOP-SODA method does not rely on an aerosol classification scheme to select LR. CALIOP-SODA σa and LR are evaluated using airborne high spectral resolution lidar (HSRL) observations over the northwest Atlantic. CALIOP-SODA LR (1L and 2L) positively correlates with its HSRL counterpart (linear correlation coefficient r > 0.67), with a negative bias smaller than 13.2 %, and a good agreement for σa (r ≥ 0.78) with a small negative bias (≤|−9.2 %|). Furthermore, a global comparison of optical depths derived by CALIOP SODA and CALIPSO V4 reveals substantial differences over regions dominated by dust and smoke, in qualitative agreement with previously reported discrepancies between MODIS and CALIPSO AOD. Global maps of CALIOP-SODA LR feature high values over littoral zones, consistent with expectations of continental aerosol transport offshore. In addition, seasonal transitions associated with biomass burning during June to October over the southeast Atlantic are well reproduced by CALIOP-SODA LR.