Airmass Classification and Analysis of Aerosol Types at El Arenosillo (Spain)

Abstract

Abstract The Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) site “El Arenosillo,” equipped with a Cimel sun photometer, has been in operation since 2000. The data collected there are analyzed to establish an aerosol synoptic climatological description that is representative of the region. Different air masses and aerosol types are present over the site depending on the synoptic conditions. The frequent intrusion of dust from the Sahara Desert at El Arenosillo suggested the use of back trajectories to determine the airmass origins of other types of aerosol observed there. The focus of this study is to classify the air masses arriving at El Arenosillo by means of back-trajectory analyses and to characterize the aerosol within each type by means of the aerosol optical depth (AOD) and its spectral signature, given as the Ångström exponent (AE). The goal is to determine how aerosols observed over the station (receptor site) differ depending on source region and transport pathways. Two classification methods are used, one based on sectors and a second based on cluster analysis. The period analyzed is from 2000 to 2004. Both methods show that maritime air masses are predominant, occurring 70% of the time and having relatively low AOD (≈0.1 at 440 nm) and a wide range of AE (from about 0 to 2.0). Air masses with continental characteristics are moderately turbid and have values of AE that average ≈1.4. Air masses arriving from the south and southwest show the distinct features of the desert dust, having moderate to high values of AOD (0.30–0.35 at 440 nm) and low values of AE.