Temporal and Spatial Differences of Aerosol Loading using the AERONET Network in Washington, DC area

This research delves into the variation in Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) and water vapor across various urban, suburban, and rural landscapes in the Maryland and D.C. region. Our goal is to deepen our understanding of how aerosols are distributed and their impacts on the environment. Given the significant effects that aerosols have on both public health and climate, our research is crucial for crafting specific strategies to manage air quality and for enhancing the accuracy of models that predict atmospheric conditions.

The analysis focuses on AOD data collected from three key sites: Howard University Interdisciplinary Research Building (HU-IRB), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC). These sites span a range from urban to rural environments, offering a detailed look at how aerosol behavior varies across different landscapes.

We expect to identify clear differences in AOD levels related to both the geographical locations and seasonal changes. The study hypothesizes that urban areas, particularly around HU-IRB, will show higher AOD values due to local human activities, while the rural site near SERC will reflect more influence from natural sources and regional transport phenomena.

The initial findings support our hypothesis, revealing higher AOD peaks at urban locations, likely tied to local emission sources (figure a). Additionally, episodic events such as fire plumes from distant wildfires have been identified as significant contributors to regional AOD spikes, as seen in the data correlation between all sites during such events. However, some high aerosol events show differences between two close stations (figure b). These findings emphasize the complex interplay between local and regional sources in influencing aerosol concentrations, highlighting the need for a comprehensive strategy in air quality monitoring and analysis across the region.