Aerosol Concentration and Size Distribution: Aircraft Measurements in North China

The vertical distribution or profile of aerosol properties, which is not only important for aerosol direct climate forcing, but also a key factor for cloud formation and thus impact aerosol-cloud interaction and radiation budget of earth system. Different aerosol microphysical and optical properties and the relative position of aerosol and cloud will impose various aerosol-cloud interactions, and then modulate radiation and climate. In this study, we will analyze the vertical distributions of aerosol and cloud by using 3D CALIPSO and CloudSat satellite products, and explore the statistical relationship between cloud optical properties (e.g. effective radius, optical depth etc.) and aerosol extinction in the layers where clouds are co-located with aerosols. The impact of aerosol-cloud interaction on radiation will be evaluated as well.