Solar Brightening/Dimming over China’s Mainland: Effects of Atmospheric Aerosols, Anthropogenic Emissions, and Meteorological Conditions

Abstract

Surface solar radiation (SSR) is the main factor affecting the earth’s climate and environment and its variations and the reason for these variations are an important part of climate change research. In this research, we investigated the long-term variations of SSR during 1984–2016 and the quantitative influences of atmospheric aerosols, anthropogenic emissions, and meteorological conditions on SSR over China’s mainland. The results show the following: (1) The annual average SSR values had a decline trend at a rate of −0.371 Wm−2 yr−1 from 1984 to 2016 over China. (2) The aerosol optical depth (AOD) plays the main role in inducing variations in SSR over China, with r values of −0.75. Moreover, there are marked regional differences in the influence of anthropogenic emissions and meteorological conditions on SSR trends. (3) From a regional perspective, AOD is the main influencing factor on SSR in northeast China (NEC), Yunnan Plateau and surrounding regions (YPS), North China (NC), and Loess Plateau (LP), with r values of −0.65, −0.60, −0.89, and −0.50, respectively. However, the main driving factors for SSR in northwest China (NWC) are “in cloud optical thickness of all clouds” (TAUTOT) (−0.26) and black carbon (BC) anthropogenic emissions (−0.21). TAUTOT (−0.39) and total precipitable water vapor (TQV) (−0.29) are the main influencing factors of SSR in the middle-lower Yangtze Plain (MYP). The main factors that influence SSR in southern China (SC) are surface pressure (PS) (−0.66) and AOD (−0.43). This research provides insights in understanding the variations of SSR and its relationships with anthropogenic conditions and meteorological factors.

Interaction between wind speed and net radiation controls reference evapotranspiration variance in the inland river basin of Northwest China

“…Fu et al (2020) found that annual total Nr deposition increased at a rate of 10%, and the ground‐level O 3 and NH 3 concentrations also increased by 13% and 107% during 2011–2018 in this region, respectively. Thus, the increased aerosol loading was also the main driving factor for dimming in Northwest China, which has also been proven by Fang et al (2021). Presumably, it is not easy for weaker winds to blow away aerosols, thus causing more aerosols to remain in the atmosphere (Glantz et al, 2009; Kiliyanpilakkil & Meskhidze, 2011; Yackerson, 2002).…”

“…by Fang et al (2021). Presumably, it is not easy for weaker winds to blow away aerosols, thus causing more aerosols to remain in the atmosphere (Glantz et al, 2009;Kiliyanpilakkil & Meskhidze, 2011;Yackerson, 2002).…”

Validation and Analysis of MAIAC AOD Aerosol Products in East Asia from 2011 to 2020

“…Mongolia and Russia have low AOD values due to their high latitude, alpine terrain, and sparse population under both small natural and anthropogenic influences. Qinghai Province and Tibet Autonomous Region are located in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau with high altitude, low human activities, and thin atmosphere [54], thus the AOD values are extremely low. Most of the AOD in East Asia show a significant negative trend, indicating that aerosol pollution has reduced.…”

Discrete fast Fourier transform-assisted ultraviolet-infrared dual resonance spectroscopy for aerosol detection and identification

“…7,8 In recent years, there has been increasing interest in detection of aerosols using various optical spectroscopy techniques. [9][10][11][12][13][14][15] However, these methods (see 1.2.SI †) are not often considered as favorable detection systems, mostly owing to low recovery detection limitations, high cost, not real time, etc. 11 To be fully effective, a biological point detection system should be capable of reliably detecting the presence of a potentially dangerous aerosol immediately it reaches the detection site.…”