Effect of wind speed on columnar aerosol optical properties at Midway Island

Abstract

Aerosol optical properties over Midway Island in the central Pacific Ocean are considered in conjunction with the information on surface wind speed. In general, optical conditions over Midway resemble aerosol found over other maritime locations in the Pacific Ocean (Lanai, Tahiti, and Nauru). The most frequently occurring values of aerosol optical depth at 500-nm wavelength and Angstrom parameter are 0.06 and ~0.40, respectively. Empirical relationships are established between columnar aerosol optical properties and surface wind speed. Increased emission of sea-salt aerosols at greater wind speeds primarily influenced aerosol optical depth at infrared wavelengths. The correlation coefficient between 24 hour average surface wind speed and aerosol optical depth, although not high (0.52 at a 1020 nm wavelength), is statistically significant at a 99% confidence level. Wind speed anticorrelates with the Angstrom parameter owing to an influx of large particles from the surface. Wind speed influences primarily the coarse fraction (radius > 0.5 μm) concentration of the retrieved columnar size distribution (correlation coefficient 0.56). Effective radii of the retrieved fine and coarse modes are found to be independent of wind speed. Average size distributions for various wind speed bins can be very well simulated with the maritime aerosol component model.