Columnar aerosol properties in Valencia (Spain) by ground-based Sun photometry

In this paper, we present a climatological study of atmospheric aerosols in coastal eastern Spain, by means of experimental measurements using a Cimel CE318-2 Sun photometer. The aerosol optical depth, Ångström wavelength exponent, size distribution, complex refractive index, asymmetry parameter, and single scattering albedo have been retrieved from these measurements. The columnar water content, as an important parameter for understanding aerosol growth, has also been retrieved. Statistical results of the annual and seasonal variability analysis, mainly related to the usual summer maximum turbidity found in the Mediterranean and European regions, are also shown. The results are linked to the character of the site, located in an urban environment, near the Mediterranean Sea, and frequently affected by dusty air masses of Saharan origin. Copyright 2007 by the American Geophysical Union.