the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
| 01 Feb 2024
Large synthesis of in situ field measurements of the size distribution of mineral dust aerosols across their lifecycle
Abstract. Mineral dust aerosol is an important contributor to the Earth climate system and the correct representation of its size distribution is fundamental for shaping the current state and the evolution of climate. Despite many observational dust size data are available in the literature, using this body of information to proper guide the development and validation of climate models and remote sensing retrievals remains challenging. This is due to the diverse nature of different data, both in terms of measurement methods, diameter definitions, sampled concentrations and data treatments, leading to inherent heterogeneities. In this study we collect, evaluate, harmonize, and synthetize 58 size distribution data from the past 50 years of in situ field observations with the aim of providing a consistent dataset to the community to use for constraining the representation of dust size across its lifecycle. Four levels (LEV) of data treatment are defined, going from original data (LEV0), data interpolated and normalized on a standardized diameter path (LEV1), and data in which original particle diameters are converted into a common geometrical definition under both spherical (LEV2a) and aspherical (LEV2b) assumptions. Size distributions are classified to be representative of emission/source (SOURCE, <1 day from emission; number of datasets in this category, N=12), mid−range transport (MRT, 1−4 days of transport; N=36) and long−range transport (LRT, >4 days of transport; N=10). The harmonized dataset shows consistent features in the shape of the dust size distribution suggesting the conservation of airborne particles with time: a main mode located at ~10 µm (in volume) is observed for SOURCE dust, decreasing to ~5 µm and ~2 µm for MRT and LRT conditions, respectively, for which an additional mode becomes evident below 0.4 µm. Data for the three levels (LEV1, LEV2a, LEV2b) and the three categories (SOURCE, MRT, LRT), together with statistical metrics (mean, median, 25 % and 75 % percentiles, and standard deviation) are made available as: SOURCE (https://doi.org/10.57932/58dbe908-9394-4504-9099-74a3e77140e9; Formenti and Di Biagio, 2023a); MRT (https://doi.org/10.57932/31f2adf7-74fb-48e8-a3ef-059f663c47f1; Formenti and Di Biagio, 2023b); LRT (https://doi.org/10.57932/17dc781c-3e9d-4908-85b5-5c99e68e8f79; Formenti and Di Biagio, 2023c).
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RC1: 'Comment on essd-2023-481', Gregory L. Schuster, 24 Mar 2024
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Review of Large synthesis of in 1 situ field measurements of the size distribution of mineral dust aerosols across their lifecycle by Paola Formenti and Claudia Di Biagio
This article surveys a vast amount of dust size distributions in the scientific literature (obtained by different groups using multiple techniques over different particle size ranges) and synthesizes it into a dataset that allows comparisons amongst the different techniques. Significant details about the operating premiss of the various instrumentation are provided so that the reader can understand why this synthesis is necessary and the mathematical relationships (and assumptions) between the different techniques. I find this an excellent article that is clear and well organized, and I do not have any significant suggestions for improvement. I list a few minor grammar suggestions below.
Unfortunately, my comments only apply to the article itself, as I do not have access to the dataset. The links in the pdf resulted in a “doi not found” message from doi.org. The links on the ESSD website appear to be identical to the pdf links, but the ESSD links led me to www.easydata.earth, which NASA has blocked (apparently because the the site is not https protocol). I have requested access from NASA, but this could take weeks; if approved, the NASA approval might also expire at some point. Since there are many NASA employees who would be interested in this dataset, it would be wise for easydata.earth to upgrade to https protocol or for the authors to find another home for the data.
Line 151: Replace sizes with size.
Line 173: I struggled with this sentence because I found the first 8 words rather klunky in their arrangement.
Line 201: It is a little strange to reference the first author as ‘personal communication.’ I would just omit.
Line 207: Try a comma after ‘However’ and replacing ‘to note’ with ‘noting’.
Line 286: Replace ‘take’ with ‘taken.’
Line 334: I don't know that intensity is the best word, given its link to optical intensity for your likely audience. Perhaps try "Particle volume concentration above 10 um remains unchanged…"
Line 338: Replace ‘to evaluate’ with ‘evaluation of’.
Line 344: Remove “, but”, including the comma.
Line 345: Replace ‘while we identify’ with ‘and there is’, keeping the comma.
Line 353: “A large statistics of data… “ This is an important summary sentence that I believe could be made stronger with an active voice. " We did this.... based on..." Basically, brag that you did this, as it is worth bragging about!
Citation: https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2023-481-RC1 -
RC2: 'Review of essd-2023-481', Anonymous Referee #2, 26 Mar 2024
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General Comment
Formenti and Di Biagio present a reference data set of mineral dust size distributions, compiled from a large set of harmonized datasets from a variety of field campaigns. The original data were corrected according to the applied set of instruments and mapped to a common log-scale size grid for easy use in atmospheric modelling. The procedure of correction and mapping is precisely described and statistical parameters like mean, median, standard deviation, and percentiles, are presented for three classes of mineral dust (source, mid-range transport, long-range transport) are provided. The presented dataset is of invaluable benefit since it provides for the first time a harmonized data set of mineral dust size distributions prepared for direct use in atmospheric modelling.
The manuscript is clearly structured and very well written. It is recommended for publication after a few minor revisions have been taken into account.
There is one general question to be asked before moving on to the minor comments: Is there a reason why the authors do not provide parameterized size distributions for the three dust categories? Of course, these parameterizations can be implemented by the individual researchers using the data. But the provision of parameterized size distributions may help making results from model studies on mineral dust more comparable.
Minor Comments
- In the reference list, many journal names are not provided, the format of the reference list needs to be checked. Furthermore, check the use of names like Schütz or Müller, often they are given as Schutz and Muller.
- The expression “providing with” is often used, but to my opinion not always in the correct manner. This should be checked.
- The abstract may be shortened without losing its information content.
- Line 36: Mineral dust particles do not emit solar radiation. The sentence should be rephrased.
Typos
- Line 48: “orders of magnitude”
- Line 51: “… and attributed THIS to clays …”
- Line 110: “consist of “
- Line 111: “one data point” should be rephrased as “one data set”.
- Line 186: “i.e., only one data set …”
- Line 247: Suggested title “Limitations of the chosen approach”
- Line 334: The expression “The intensity of the particle volume …” should be rephrased, e.g., as “the magnitude of the particle volume …”.
Citation: https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2023-481-RC2
Data sets
Large synthesis of in situ field measurements of the size distribution of mineral dust aerosols across their lifecycle-SOURCE P. Formenti and C. Di Biagio https://doi.org/10.57932/58dbe908-9394-4504-9099-74a3e77140e9
Large synthesis of in situ field measurements of the size distribution of mineral dust aerosols across their lifecycle-MRT P. Formenti and C. Di Biagio https://doi.org/10.57932/31f2adf7-74fb-48e8-a3ef-059f663c47f1
Large synthesis of in situ field measurements of the size distribution of mineral dust aerosols across their lifecycle-LRT P. Formenti and C. Di Biagio https://doi.org/10.57932/17dc781c-3e9d-4908-85b5-5c99e68e8f79
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