Marine/Continental History of Aerosols at San Nicolas Island during CEWCOM-78 and OSP III.
Abstract
Meteorological and optical transmission data being collected at San Nicolas Island must be categorized according to time periods representing marine, continental, or mixed aerosol sources. Using a variety of data sources such as surface and upper air charts, high-resolution GOES and DMSP satellite imagery, climatological data, hourly surface observations, automatic weather station observations and rawinsonde data, aerosol source regions for the OSP III and CEWCOM-78 data period were analyzed to perform such categorization. Techniques were developed for assimilating much of this information into summaries or indices that reveal the relative influence of maritime or continental conditions. Air trajectories from low level winds and satellite cloud monitoring indicated complex circulation patterns making source region identification difficult at times. Some climatological and DMSP sea surface temperature data were also useful in describing transition conditions in the lower atmosphere near San Nicolas Island. Based on the total integration of data, conditions at San Nicolas Island during the OSP/CEWCOM period were marked by great variability with several episodes of strong maritime influence being separated by periods of continental influence. These changing conditions are brought about by moving weather systems, with transition periods characterized by air of mixed origins. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1979
- Accession Number
- ADA081370
Entities
People
- H. Hendon
- J. Rosenthal
- T. Battalino
- V. R. Noonkester