Relationship of Optical Observations to Aerosol Mass Loading

Abstract

In recent years there has been considerable use of optical observations to determine the aerosol mass loading of the atmosphere. Nephelometer measurements of the scattering coefficient have been used for the local volume mass loading, and the turbidity of the atmosphere determined by the Volz sun photometer has been related to the vertical mass loading. This paper analyses various approaches to measuring the mass loading, and presents improved relationships between the optical observations and the aerosol mass loading.