Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-593
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-593
07 Oct 2025
 | 07 Oct 2025
Status: this preprint is currently under review for the journal ESSD.

A Global Black Carbon Dataset of Column Concentration and Microphysical Information Derived from MISR Multi-band Observations and Mie Scattering Simulations

Zhewen Liu, Jason Blake Cohen, Pravash Tiwari, Luoyao Guan, Shuo Wang, and Kai Qin

Abstract. Black carbon, a major absorbing component of atmospheric aerosols, plays an important role in climate regulation, air quality, and human health, yet its column concentration and microphysical properties at regional and global scales remains highly uncertain. In this study, we implement an integrated approach that combines multi-angle, multi-band observations from the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer with a Mie scattering framework to estimate black carbon column properties including size and mixing state globally on a daily basis. By constraining particle size distributions with absorption aerosol optical depth and single scattering albedo across all four bands, the method simultaneously retrieves number and mass concentrations. Long-term simulations from 2005 to 2020 reveal distinct spatial and temporal patterns, with particularly high levels over biomass burning regions in Africa and South America as well as industrial and urban centers in Asia. Comparisons with ground-based sun photometer measurements and reanalysis data confirm the robustness and accuracy of the estimates. The resulting dataset provides a consistent global record of black carbon column concentrations, offering valuable support for constraining climate models, improving assessments of aerosol radiative forcing, and informing targeted mitigation strategies.

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Zhewen Liu, Jason Blake Cohen, Pravash Tiwari, Luoyao Guan, Shuo Wang, and Kai Qin

Status: open (until 13 Nov 2025)

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Zhewen Liu, Jason Blake Cohen, Pravash Tiwari, Luoyao Guan, Shuo Wang, and Kai Qin

Data sets

Data from "A Global Black Carbon Dataset of Column Concentration and Microphysical Information Derived from MISR Muti-band Observations and Mie Scattering Simulations" (2004.10.1–2020.12.31) Zhewen Liu et al. https://figshare.com/s/2a2aa16468e874d42ab6

Zhewen Liu, Jason Blake Cohen, Pravash Tiwari, Luoyao Guan, Shuo Wang, and Kai Qin
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Short summary
Black carbon (BC), emitted from fires, industry, and fossil fuels, warms the climate and worsens air quality. Due to complex physical and optical properties, BC remains poorly constrained. We combined satellite observations with physical models to build a daily, high-resolution, decadal global dataset of BC mass, number, size, and mixing details. The data contains both known sources and new hotspots. These results can support climate models, satellite products, and pollution mitigation.
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