Trends of Aerosol Optical Properties over the Heavy Industrial Zone of Northeastern Asia in the Past Decade (2004–15)

Abstract

The heavy industrial zone of northeastern Asia is dominated by year-round industrial scattering aerosols that undergo hygroscopic growth in summer. With the rapid economic development over the past decade, aerosol optical depth (AOD) has increased (6.35% yr−1) with an annual-mean AOD of 0.61 ± 0.13. Simultaneously, the aerosol particle size and aerosol scattering have increased, with an annual-mean scattering aerosol optical depth (SAOD) reaching 0.58 ± 0.15. However, considering that the annual AOD/gross domestic product (GDP) per capita decreased, the environmental degradation caused by aerosol emission is expected to reach a turning point based on the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis. In addition, annual-mean radiative forcing at the top, bottom, and interior of the atmospheric column reached −2.35 ± 2.33, −54.16 ± 7.26, and 51.81 ± 7.93 W m−2, respectively. The increase in unit SAOD contributes to the growth in net negative top-of-atmosphere (TOA) forcing and surface (SFC) forcing, and unit absorption aerosol optical depth (AAOD) increases together with atmosphere (ATM) forcing. Moreover, the cooling effect of aerosols on the Earth–atmosphere system showed an increase over the most recent 10 years related to the increase in scattering aerosol from development in the old industrial base. Except for local sources, under the western air masses, the circum–Bohai Sea economic zone was the potential source area of anthropogenic aerosols throughout the year with annual daily mean AOD, single-scattering albedo (SSA), TOA forcing, and SFC forcing values of 0.88, 0.93, −8.08, and −63.05 W m−2, respectively. The Mongolian Plateau was the potential natural dust source area under the northeastern air masses.