25SMOI Assessment of Visibility from Nano- and Micro- Aerosol Particle Concentration

Atmospheric aerosols, particularly those of nano- to micro-scale, are of significant importance to atmospheric science and climate research due to their considerable influence on radiative forcing. Their scattering and absorption properties disrupt radiative energy transfer and have a noticeable impact on visibility. With extensive availability of visibility measurements from standardized weather observations, aerosol loading is often estimated from these visibility values. However, by incorporating economically feasible, low-footprint aerosol concentration instrumentation, coupled with a verified and validated, first-principles atmospheric characterization and radiative transfer package (namely, the Laser Environmental Effects Definition and Reference (LEEDR) code), we can derive a comprehensive assessment of visibility from aerosol particle concentration measurements. This approach strives to provide a more nuanced and accurate understanding of the relationship between aerosols, radiative forcing, and visibility. This approach is tested using a method of quantifying visibility greater than 10SM based on aerosol particle concentration of the sizes 5nm-10µm measured via a PM_2.5 condensation particle counter and a PM₁₀ PurpleAir air quality sensor.