Effect of the main active volcanoes on aerosol optical properties

Abstract

Processing of the measurements obtained by the AERONET network of the optical parameters characteristic of the atmospheric aerosol carried out makes it possible to compare the optical effects of 2020 volcanic eruptions to those results for 2019 concerning Mexico City and Mauna Loa site. Both the monthly spectral means of AOD and the monthly means of fine and coarse volume concentration show an increase for the months of January and February 2020 (Volcanic eruption period) compared to the same period in 2019 at Mexico City. Those corresponding to Mauna-Loa seem not sensible with very low values. The effects of ashes of the two-studied volcano are very different, led to a low increase in optical depth comparatively to the contribution of anthropogenic aerosol at MexicoCity (low continental spread) and led to a nonsignificate effect at Mauna-Loa (high marine spread).