Ultra-Violet Mie Lidar Observations of Particulates Vertical Profiles in Macao during a Record High Pollution Episode

Vertical profiles of particulates were measured in Macao by using a 355 nm Mie scattering lidar during a dust event. A high energy pulse laser was employed as the light source to detect the extinction coefficient in the atmosphere. The extinction profiles showed layers of high aerosol concentrations in good agreement with both back trajectory analysis and ground-based pollution measurements in Macao, which indicate that this lidar is very useful for monitoring extinction profiles during extreme high aerosol loading and low visibility atmospheric conditions when most low energy lidar system is inefficient. The results evidenced that correlations between PM2.5 and TSP varied with the intensity of dust storm and the PM2.5/PM10 ratio was small during dust episode, which indicated that aerosols were dominated by large particles. Furthermore, results of the dust event showed high aerosol concentrations at altitudes where the wind carried the dusty aerosols from northern China, covering Shanghai and the Taiwan Channel, to the Pearl River Delta Region. This research improved the understanding of the dust properties in Macao.

Automated summary

This study measured the vertical profiles of particulates in Macao during a dust event using a 355 nm Mie scattering lidar. The results showed high aerosol concentrations in the atmosphere, which were consistent with trajectory analysis and ground-based measurements. The study also found that the correlation between PM2.5 and TSP varied with the intensity of the dust storm, and large particles dominated the aerosols during the dust episode. Additionally, the results revealed high aerosol concentrations at altitudes where the dusty aerosols were transported from northern China, Shanghai, and the Taiwan Channel to the Pearl River Delta Region.