Larger than expected variation range in the real part of the refractive index for ambient aerosols in China

The real part of the refractive index (RRI) of ambient aerosol, which is widely used in remote sensing and atmo-spheric models, is one of the key factors determining its particles' optical properties. The characteristics of ambi-ent aerosol RRI in China have not yet been well studied owing to a lack of observations. For the first time, the properties of aerosol RRI were studied based on field measurements in China at four sites with different atmo-spheres. The results revealed that the measured ambient aerosol RRI varied significantly between 1.36 and 1.78, increasing with the mass ratio of organic components. The scattering coefficient and direct radiative effects of the aerosols were estimated to increase by factors of 2 and 3, respectively, when RRI increased from 1.36 to 1.78. Our results indicate that variation in ambient aerosol RRI should be considered in aerosol and climate models to achieve an accurate estimation of aerosol's radiative impacts. (c) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The characteristics of ambient aerosol refractive index (RRI) in China were studied for the first time based on field measurements at four sites with different atmospheres. The results showed that the variation in ambient aerosol RRI significantly affects the scattering coefficient and direct radiative effects of the aerosols.